Persona 4: IDBH: Vignettes
by JustCharles
Summary: A companion collection of vignettes that expand on the world of "I Don't Belong Here" Like Blu-Ray or DVD Extras, these are deleted, expanded, or alternate scenes. Rated T for Now, May Change. Please Read and Review.
1. Boy of My Dreams

**I've been thinking about this for some time and decided to go with it. Welcome to a series of vignettes that I had cut out of "P4: I Don't Belong Here's" main story, that I wanted to add to flesh out something I made minor reference to, or maybe an alternate scene or two... or more... :) **

**I decided that with this collection, I would focus more on the other character's since in the main story, Charles is the POV character for much of it. Charles will not be in every entry, though don't be annoyed if he gets a mention. After all, he is my OC and I would like to remind people of that there IS an OC in that universe.**

**I will list focus Characters as "Yu/Yukiko/Charles (as an example.) If there are other Characters, they are just minor for that entry, (Such as Yosuke who shows up, says "Hey, how are you?!" Then leaves 3 paragraphs later.**

**Also, I will leave notes on every entry detailing why I didn't put it in the main story or such.**

**This Entry was based off the mention I made that after school and Dojima told Charles, Yukiko, Yu and Chie, "Shoo! Dead body! Nothing to see here!" Yukiko had told Chie about the dream. I wanted to explore that and a few other things as weel, to kind of explain why Yukiko started liking Charles, though it was VERY internal at first.**

**Oh yeah, and I hid a shoutout to Ari Moriarity, who usually does collections like these. See if you can find it. :)**

**"Boy of My Dreams"  
April 12, 2011  
Yukiko/Chie**

_Amagi Inn_

"Yukiko! It's time to get up! We gotta get to school!" Satonaka Chie said.

"Huh? Oh sorry, Chie. I didn't hear my alarm." Amagi Yukiko looked disoriented.

"Well, at least I was here. If I wasn't, you probably would have been asleep until Noon. And if Moron is our homeroom teacher, you'd be on his shit list." Chie was very worried about that prospect.

"Chie, what have Mom and I told you about profanity." It had been a constant discussion. A lady did not use profanity when other words would do.

"Yukiko, I don't have TIME for the reminder."

"All right, Chie." Yukiko said, smiling and shaking her head.

Both of them showered in the hot springs area of Yukiko's family-owned ryokan. Yukiko smiled at herself at the thought of the ease the two had about their nudity. If they were in America, or an American was there, they would have most likely blushed. Unless of course said girl was as comfortable. A boy on the other hand…

_An American. That boy, who looked at us, or rather ME, yesterday looked American. Chie said I would most likely never see him again. _ Yukiko thought.

_So why is it I had the dream about him last night? And why was it that the dream was clear?_

Yukiko had a dream the previous night about the American boy… But she didn't know who he was!

The two dressed for school. Chie wearing her green track sweater over her uniform shirt. Yukiko wearing her red cardigan sweater.

The two left for school after quickly having breakfast. Yukiko's Mother, Mariko had wished them well for their first day.

On the path to school in the Samegawa flood plain, Yukiko absent-mindedly heard other students talking about various things. However, her thoughts were back on that dream…

"YUKIKO! Geez! You haven't listened to a word I said." Chie looked upset.

"I'm sorry, Chie, but I've been distracted."

"What, thinking about that boy who was looking at us in the shopping district?" Chie said, teasingly.

"Chie! No, it's more about this dream I've had about a boy."

"Who is it? Is it Yosuke?" Chie said with an elbow to Yukiko's arm, even more teasingly, though Yukiko knew, but never told Chie she knew that Chie had a crush on Hanamura Yosuke, since he moved into Inaba seven months ago.

"No, it's nobody we know. I've actually had this dream off and on for 9 years. But it was never as clear as the first time." Chie intently listened.

"It's in winter. I'm in the hallway of a house and there's snow. I hear a voice in Japanese, then English say things, while crying. I see a charm from the Tatsuhime shrine in my hand. I don't know what's going on…and yet I do. It's like I have two versions of me. Myself, and then the other me actually in that scene."

"I hear the voice again. It belongs to a boy that for some reason the 'observer' me knows as well as the 'actor' me."

"It's weird for you to put it like that," Chie said, puzzled and curious.

"I know, but how else can I explain it? Anyway, I hear his voice in English say he was worthless. And then I rush in there and…"

"Oh-ho, getting' to the good stuff," Chie said with a grin.

"I tell him… He's not worthless. Then we kiss, though his face is full of tears. HE tells me in Japanese he loves me. I respond in English that I love him. I'll always love him. I'll NEVER abandon him again. Then I just hold and comfort him as he cries. I'm crying too, though my tears fall silently compared to his painful sobbing."

"OHHH! That's it?!" Chie sounded disappointed. "I was hoping that it was a dream where you and a guy got together and …nature took its course." Chie said, looking lasciviously at Yukiko.

"CHIE!" Then Yukiko thought about it. "Actually, Chie, you may be right about that, in a sense. I knew his voice like it was my very own…As if, by that point…I'd already been…intimate with him."

"Then maybe the Amagi Challenge for this year is over before it starts."

"Chie, I don't want a boyfriend. I have you." She gave Chie a meaningful glance, which caused Chie to look uncomfortable.

"Uhh, yeah, anyway… Uh so he spoke English? Maybe if 'the boy of your dreams' were real you two could get along well, I mean since you know English, communication wouldn't be a problem."

"Chie, why after every time I say I don't want a boyfriend, you ignore me. I'm not good with the concept of love I've been encountering. Real love is what I want. Not what these…kids have been stating to me. That's not love. Because it's not real"

"Yukiko, you don't want to be alone for the rest of your life with 7 cats, do you?" Chie asked

"But I don't want to settle for a boy who may be good in bed, but doesn't truly want to be with me. The real me. I want to marry someone who wants to marry me, not my family name." Yukiko looked sad at the fact her family name meant more to boys than her.

"I know, but you can't be alone forever. One day, you'll want companionship with a boy or a man, and you won't care what they think."

"That's why if I had a choice between alone or that… I'll pick alone, Chie. I WANT someone who WANTS ME for ME. And there's no one like that in this town who will fulfill that wish," Yukiko said, frustrated with all the boys who asked her out on dates eager to date her as part of the "Amagi Challenge". She would end up turning them down herself, or Chie would show up to defend her. She even declined Hanamura Yosuke's request, though she remembered she was gentle in turning him down, because he was new in town.

"Besides, Chie any boy who would be like that, you'd probably chase away."

"Nah, if I could tell he was 'Mr. Right', I'd make sure to give him a chance. It'd be nice to know a boy who genuinely cares for you."

They reached the school.

"Konichiwa, Nakamura-san, how is your restaurant doing?" Yukiko asked, seeing Nakamura Aika, the daughter of the Chinese restaurant "Aiya."

"Konichiwa, Amagi-san. It's doing well." Aika always had a blank stare, though it and she were always polite.

"Hey, did you hear?" A boy said to a girl, "Moron's our homeroom teacher." Chie groaned about that.

"That's not all," The girl replied. "I heard we were getting two new students, a transfer and an exchange."

"Are either of them girls?" The boy asked.

She rolled her eyes. "Is that all you think about, Brother…? And yes I hope they're girls too, we can each date one of them."

"Shhh, Sis, not everybody knows you're out."

"Yukiko, did you hear that?" Chie asked.

"I knew Ishiimora was out, and come to think of it, so did you," Yukiko said confused.

"NO! Not that! About the new students. Maybe one of them is your 'Dreamboy!' Chie was excited.

"I doubt that, Chie."

The door opened and two boys stepped in with Morooka-sensei. Yukiko heard both Ishiimora twins groan.

One was a boy with Silver hair and eyes, and Yukiko did admit he was attractive and had this…aura about him.

But the other made her turn pale.

It was the American boy from yesterday. The same boy from her dreams, now that she had a closer look at him. IT. WAS. HIM!

And deep within her heart, so deep that her conscious mind did not register it…

She was in love with him at first sight. DEEPLY. IN. LOVE.

Consciously, she was uncomfortable. Very uncomfortable. This was made worse when he had been rebuked for looking at Aika and told to take the seat next to Amagi.

She turned to Chie and said, "'Will likely never going to see him again', huh?" The boy with silver hair and had introduced himself to the class as Narukami Yu, looked at her politely confused from his seat to the left of Chie. She looked at him again.

And it felt like time itself had stopped, and they were the only two people in the universe. Until Morooka-sensei gave Charles an even harder time.

She felt bad, despite her discomfort, that he was laughed at by most of the class. She heard him sigh sadly, and mutter. "Congratulations, Chuck. SSS-rank introduction for sure. Dante would be so proud."

She looked at him for a second. He had neat curly brown hair and glasses, but his uniform was open and he wore a tie which was a nice shade of maroon.

She didn't know what the future held for her.

But for a moment, despite her discomfort, she didn't mind imagining a scenario where he was with her.

She even wondered if he were her "prince," The Westerner whom she believed would take her away from inheriting the inn.

And despite her discomfort, she felt excited by that prospect.


	2. When In Rome

**I made mention of this scene back at the end of Chapter 2:"School Daze" in the main story that I had wanted to include a dinner scene between Nanako, Yu, and Charles where, as I mentioned in the Chapter following, Charles had had trouble with his chopstick usage (Which was actually due to his SPOILER ALERT! disability.) And also discussed how hand why he was using a lot of English vs. Japanese att the start, when Nanako asks him if he didn't like speaking Japanese. I always liked that and had hated cutting it out. Therefore. It lives on in this companion project. Enjoy!**

**"When in Rome…"  
April 12, 2011  
Yu/Nanako/Charles**

_Dojima Residence_

_"Are you all right, Charles?"_ Yu asked his roommate in English. Yu decided he would speak English to Charles as a way of calming him, because despite Charles's outward easy nature, Yu could sense a little tension within his American Roommate. Especially since Charles had just met a girl he had told Yu he had dreamt about for 9 years…Amagi Yukiko.

Normally, Amagi was the type of girl he would go after, even if he planned one date. Smart, beautiful, demure, and DEFINITELY feminine. It was a combination that brought Yu pause.

But he didn't want to get in the way of Charles's chance at finding a girl. As far as Yu knew, Charles didn't have a girlfriend in Utah. In fact, this morning's conversation - until it was interrupted by that bike riding boy - was general.

Charles had been playing his PS3, as there was no usable information from Morooka-sensei's rant. "_No, I'm not. I would have liked it better if Ms. Amagi had at least been a little nicer to me. I can understand her being uncomfortable sitting next to a strange boy."_

_"She's probably sat next to a lot of boys." _Yu didn't see what the big deal was.

_"Yu, *sigh* I saw her and Chie in the Shopping District yesterday. They were talking, and I was…admiring her. But I had the feeling as I turned around and walked away…she looked at me and saw I had been staring."_

Yu looked interested in what his new friend told him.

_"Charles, I think it's like I said earlier. You just need to show the real Charles Waldo. I think once she sees that…she'd be happy to date you."_

_"I doubt that, but like I said, I'll try."_

Charles was annoyed by the sniper constantly killing him in Call of Duty: Black Ops multiplayer. "DAMMIT! Who is this 'P4SnowBlack1208', anyway?!" He or she's good!"

"Well, it's dinner, so maybe that should calm you down," Yu said.

"I'm calm. I'm just in awe in this person's skills.

The two boys went downstairs. They had to make dinner because their guardian, Detective Dojima Ryotaro, was not home yet.

The boys both made some sushi rolls. They decided to be fair and let a third of the portion they made go to the other person, while the remaining third not kept went to Nanako.

Yu admitted Charles was not bad, but Charles made a show of bowing to "Narukami Yu's superior skill which made Nanako laugh.

However, Charles was having trouble with his chopsticks. It's as if his hand was shaking while manipulating them. Yu and Nanako had tried helping him a few times, before giving up. Charles also gave up and went to get a knife and fork, which Dojima had thoughtfully bought for the American Houseguest to use.

_"Maybe Amagi would be a better teacher_," Yu deadpanned.

Charles caught the innuendo, though. _"Very funny, Yu. Thank heavens your cousin doesn't know much English. I'd hate for her to pick up something dirty from you and then your uncle blames me."_ He sighed. "_Yu think this is the first time I've tried this. It's been a constant struggle, because I just don't know how to manipulate them without slipping and ruining the food."_

_"As for Yukiko, maybe she could teach me other things. I think she's a nice girl, probably. She's just all tense today. But…I've never had a girlfriend, Yu. And I'm not planning on some year-long fling with someone either. I want it to last. _So I'm worried if I show Yukiko who I really am she won't like me."

"Show who?" Nanako asked.

Charles was caught off guard. He normally spoke Japanese now that he was in Japan. He liked to use English, but he didn't want to use too much of it around Nanako, because he was afraid he was going to slip and she was going to learn something that she'd repeat to Dojima or another adult.

So it was surprising to him his brain slipped another way and he lapsed into Japanese at the wrong moment.

Or maybe it wasn't.

"Charles met a girl today at school and he really likes her," Yu said.

He gave a look to Yu that sarcastically said, _Thank Yu._ But then he looked at Nanako and said, "Yes Nanako, there's a girl I like, but she doesn't seem to like me."

"Why, did you use a lot of English?" She asked.

"No, in fact, one of her friends did to spell her name. But I didn't."

"Did you tell a dirty joke?" Nanako wondered.

"Iie! No Nanako-chan, I would never do that."

"Then why wouldn't she like you?"

"Because… I think she was just uncomfortable at school. I also think that maybe she noticed I was scared."

"Scared of what?"

"Nanako-chan, I'm scared of people not liking me."

"Oh…" She said. "But why do you use English?"

"Because…I sometimes get tense and hearing and speaking English calms me down."

"Do you not like speaking Japanese?" She wondered.

Charles looked at her and very softly said, "Nana-chan, I wouldn't be here in Japan if I didn't like speaking Japanese. I'm just scared of being hurt. We, in America, have a saying. When in Rome, do as the Romans do."

"What does that mean?" Nanako was very puzzled. Yu actually smiled at that.

"It means, when you're in a land not your own and you're scared, but you don't want people in the new land to hate you…you follow their customs and traditions so that they'll like you."

_"You're oversimplifying it," _Yu said.

_"She's only 6,"_ Charles replied.

Nanako didn't pay attention, though, to what they had just said. She was thinking about what Charles said. Then a light bulb seemed to come on and she smiled "Oh…OK! You just want people to like you if they see you do what they do."

"Yes, Nana-chan!"

Then her face fell. "But don't people get mad? On TV, there were people who were doing stuff like we did and people got mad and other people got hurt."

"Yes, that is true. But if people study and pay attention and work hard at it. They could be as much a Roman as an actual one. What you probably saw were people who weren't trying hard and so looked like a joke. And that made people angry and sad. I don't want to do that," Charles said with complete honesty.

"OK!" Nanako smiled again. "And why does Cousin speak English?"

"Because he wants to remind me that I'm trying to be a Roman for the right reasons, not the wrong ones."

Yu actually wasn't. He knew Charles would get very tense and was using English to calm him down or keep him calm, because this was a new place for him. Yu had learned English because he spent a Semester in America once, when he was 11. He had decided to buy a Japanese-to-English dictionary, because he always thought he'd have to go to school in America again. He did so the next year.

But now here was someone he needed to occasionally relax by speaking English. And Yu wanted to help his new friend anyway he could.

Though, it seemed that this may not be needed all the time…

Charles seemed very relaxed speaking Japanese with Nanako.

Yu smiled slightly. _He's becoming a Roman. _


	3. Friends Forever

**I had revealed that Yosuke and Chie were childhood friends and were in love with each other back when they were 7 and 8 years old...then I tore them away from each other and then they're back together by the time the game starts... If you would define together as," existing in Inaba at the same time." So I decided to put together basically how the two of them originally got together...and expand on why they did not pick up where they left off.**

**Also, I had fun with finding a first name for Daitaka, who was introduced in Chapter 28... and Pay special attention to Chie's pen pal's name...**

**"Friends Forever"  
January 17, 2002/May 22, 2002/September 2, 2010  
Yosuke/Chie**

**_September 2, 2010_**

_Hanamura Residence_

"Yosuke, Time to wake up. You have to get ready for school." Hanamura Atsuko was having little success coaxing her son out of bed.

"MAAAAAA! Can't I stay in bed for one more day?" Yosuke whined.

"When you get a girlfriend, you and she can stay in bed as long as you want." Atsuko was more liberal about these things than most mothers. As long as they were careful. Though she still had to have a talk with Yosuke's sister, Midori-chan, about her latest pregnancy scare…

"I don't wanna go to a new school."

"Yosuke, please try to understand. Junes is a good opportunity for your father and for us."

"They already hate us. Two girls called me a job-killer."

"People will learn to accept you for who you are, not for the family name," Atsuko said firmly.

"No one will want to be my friend, except probably some lonely foreign exchange student," Yosuke said sullenly after he sat up.

"At least you'll have one friend. Two, if someone decides to come out here to the countryside too."

"Oh, yeah. I bet he'll be my 'partner-in-crime'," Yosuke said rolling his eyes.

"Look, everything will be fine."

"No it won't. They'll hate me."

"I promise you, Yosuke. No one will hate you."

_Yasogami High_

"I hate you," Harada, a Third-Year said to Yosuke.

Yosuke was still mad his dad got the job at Junes. Who wants to manage a stupid department store anyway? Yosuke didn't care about Junes, Didn't want to care about Junes. In fact, he thought it was fair to say "fu…"

Yosuke sighed. His dad would probably find out and have a fit.

However, Yosuke switched gears when he remembered that there was one thing that was going to make his whole school experience worth it.

He was going to get back with the love of his life after 9 years away from her.

Satonaka Chie.

**_January 16, 2002_**

_Mt. Yasogami Elementary School_

He had fallen in love with her, in the way little kids do, when they were younger. He had been bullied when he was a kid. In fact one of the mean 5th-grade Senpai had slapped him a couple of times. But he mostly called Yosuke mean names: Stupid. Moron. Idiot.

Yosuke had started to cry. He did nothing wrong. But the Senpai seemed to hate him for his Dad's job or something.

Then Chie showed up.

"Hey, what are you doing being mean to him like that for?!"

"Beat it, Satonaka. And to you, we're 'Senpai'." The lead boy was never impressed with Chie

"Senpai is a term of respect. You mean jerks don't have it." Chie was not giving ground

"We told you what happened if you got in our way again!" The lead boy growled.

Attacking Chie, even when she was 7, was a bad idea.

She had been playing girls' soccer and would kick boys like they were soccer balls in their… well you get the idea.

The three alleged Senpai went down.

"Yeah, I told YOU you would fall flat on your faces," She said.

"W-Who are Y-you?" Yosuke had asked.

She had pointed to herself proudly. "I'm Satonaka Chie. You've just been rescued by the Allies of Justice."

Yosuke blinked. "But it was just you!"

Chie was annoyed. "Takeshi! Where did he go?!"

"I'm Hanamura Yosuke," He said, introducing himself.

"Hanamura. Wait, is your Dad the one helping to find jobs for Americans?"

"Not just Americans."

"Why would they beat you up? That's nice to help Westerners who had bad luck."

"They say the people my dad helps cause their dad's to not have work."

"THOSE GUYS' DADS ARE EITHER DRUNK OR FORNIFCATING WITH GOSSIPY HOUSEWIVES!"

"Huh?"

"My sister, Satonaka Eriko told me."

"Oh. I see."

From there she held his hand and said, "We're in math class together, let's go!" And she led him to class. She had been in the class with him, but he never noticed her before.

**_September 2, 2010_**

_Yasogami High_

From then on he always noticed her.

He was in love with her. He liked he cute hair in that cute side ponytail that she stole from Kasumi (A/N: Misty in the States) from Pokémon, though she always denied it. He liked how she took no crap. He liked how she laughed and made funny faces.

He liked playing with her.

"Oh, Yukiko, really now!" He heard her voice say.

He started to get nervous

_This won't be hard. IT's only been 9 years. Just tell her that whatever you did to make her dad mad, you're sorry for._

_And you can tell her you NEVER, EVER stopped loving HER._

_Yeah, it won't be hard._

So why were there butterflies in his stomach that were actively having sex and reproducing every 12 seconds?

"No, Chie, Really. I don't want to have a boyfriend."

"C'mon! I know who you could date. That pen pal of mine in grade school, Warudo Chaaruzu." Then Yosuke heard Chie laughing.

"Why is that so funny Chie?"

"He hasn't written me in seven years. I think he forgot about me or something."

Yosuke walked in the classroom. He saw Chie, wearing the summer uniform, with a green track sweater tied at her waist. He also saw a porcelain beauty wearing a red headband and a light red sweater or open jacket over her summer uniform blouse, _Yukiko-san? She's beautiful… But she's not why I'm here._

He was about to walk over to Chie and make his move.

But then the other door opened and walking over to Chie was an older guy.

"NOBU-CHAN!" she said excitedly and hugged him.

And in that moment, Yosuke's heart broke.

_We were…_

"We were supposed to be 'Friends Forever.'" Yosuke breathed.

**_May 22, 2002_**

_Satonaka Residence_

"Could you hand me the yellow please, Yosuke-chan?" Chie asked.

"Yes, Chie-chan."

The two of them were working on a drawing. They already had the houses. Chie was putting in the sun now.

"Chie-chan, why do you like me?" Yosuke asked.

"Because you're a nice, sweet boy. Not like those other boys who look at Yukiko, or are mean to me."

"People shouldn't be mean to you just because you like to play with boys."

"Yes, but not all boys are nice like you are Yosuke." Chie smiled as she worked on crayoning the sun. Yosuke was working on the green grass.

"Will we be dating when we grow up?" Yosuke asked.

"I don't wanna 'date'! I wanna hang out!" Chie said.

"That's what your sister does, but I think she's actually dating."

"Please don't talk about my sister like that."

"I wasn't being mean like the older boys!"

"I know, but Onee-chan needs to not do stuff that start rumors." Chie was embarrassed because Eriko had apparently been known for her…'adventures'

"Can I have the orange please?" Yosuke asked.

"Here you go. I just want to grow up and get married and have kids."

"And I want to get married and have kids, too."

"I want 3 kids."

"I just want two, Chie, a boy and a girl."

Yosuke was drawing himself in. He had already added his head and brown pants, but now he was n'tadding his orange shirt.

"Only a boy and a girl?" Chie asked.

"Well, you're the youngest of three, aren't you? I want both our children to grow up together, that way, no one will be lonely." Yosuke had sisters closer to age than Chie did to her brother and sister, who were older and in Middle school.

"I'm not lonely, I have you now."

Then she kissed him.

It was a small kiss that kids do, but it felt like it would if two adults kissed for the first time and it wasn't done awkwardly…

It felt wonderful for both of them.

They then looked at each other and then continued to color. They had been more than half-way done when Chie had asked for the yellow.

It was finished.

"I like it, Chie-chan!" he said smiling.

"So do I, Yosuke-chan!" She also smiled.

It was a picture of them in a field with their houses and the school in the background. A yellow sun was smiling closed-eyed shining its happy rays on them as they played together. There were also red and pink hearts.

On it they had the Phrase **"CHIE + YOSUKE. FRIENDS FOREVER." **

"Do you want to sign it?" Chie asked.

"Yeah, but why?"

"So everybody knows you mean it."

"Will we really be friends forever Chie-chan?"

"Even if one of us moves away. Even if one of us dies. Even then, we will always be friends forever, Even if something bad happens to us.

"I don't want anything bad happen to you, Chie-chan!"

"And I don't want anything to happen to you, Yosuke-chan!"

Both of them had signed their name to cement the fact that they would be friends, in a romantic AND non-romantic way forever: "Satonaka Chie 22/5/02 22/05/02 Hanamura Yosuke."

"Friends Forever" They said to each other at the same time.

**_September 2, 2010._**

_Yasogami High_

But then a few months later she moved away. He couldn't understand why that was. He thought Chie's dad did it for spite because Yosuke must have done something wrong.

However, looking at her with that…Senpai, she must have forgotten him.

Forgot they were supposed to be "Friends Forever."

She noticed him. "Excuse me, do I know you?"

She was trying to recognize him. Trying to REMEMBER him. And HE DESPERATELY WANTED to remind her.

_But, even though I don't trust that guy, it may be my hurt and jealousy talking. Therefore, I'll be a good friend._

_NO MATTER HOW MUCH IT HURTS._

"I don't believe so, I'm Hanamura Yosuke. I'm the new transfer student."

"Hanamura…? That sounds… Wait… did you…?" It appeared to have dawned on Chie.

"We've never met, Ms.…?"

He saw the hurt for a second. And it was killing him to do this to her. But her heart had moved on. Her happiness was with this guy.

She replied to him with polite formality, "Chie, Satonaka Chie."

"Well, I hope we can be friends. I don't know anybody here and most people are being mean to me."

"Maybe it's because your family operates Junes." The Senpai said

"I don't believe we have had the pleasure…?"

"Daitaka Nobuhide," He said, introducing himself.

"I take it your Satonaka's boyfriend?"

"Yes, despite the presence of Junes, you are a very adept individual. You may go far."

_And you can go to hell if you hurt my Chie-chan, you snake-speaking bastard._

Oblivious to the situation, Yukiko interjected herself and said, "I'm Amagi Yukiko, My family runs the local ryokan."

"Ah, yes. In fact would you like to go out with me sometime, so we can compare business models?"

"I appreciate the invitation, but since we have already just met, this would be considered too forward."

"I see." Yosuke sighed. _She shot me down cold._

Yosuke noticed Chie get a little annoyed with him asking Yukiko out.

"That is not what you do if you want to be friends with me. Try to ask Yukiko out on a date you pervert."

"'Business models' was not a double entendre, but then you might be jealous."

"Jealous? Just because your family is new in town you don't have to be a big jerk!"

"My apologies. I just wanted to try being a friend… It's been… forever since I had one."

He left the one subtle clue of how he felt, just to play fair, just to see if she really liked that guy.

"Well then you'll have to do a better job," Chie said, folding her arms.

"I guess I will."

**_May 22, 2002_**

_Satonaka Residence_

"Do you think our love will withstand anything, even if we were apart, Chie-chan?"

"Yes it will, Yosuke-chan. Yes it will. Because we will ALWAYS be Friends Forever."


	4. Gut Instinct

**I had, for the purpose of the storyline in IDBH established that Naoto was working with the police in April... then I saw on YouTube the scene where Dojima's drunk and Naoto's hiring is made reference of in July being hired on as a consultant. Most writers would have to torpedo their plans due to an oversight right?**

**Wrong. I still believe, as I had previously stated at the end of the Chapters that had introduced Naoto in my story that there was no proof she wasn't working on this in April. The police would have had her added on equivalent to bringing in the FBI here in the states for a serial murder case, and She was working on her own in May.**

**So I figured, why not work with this? Plus, All Yu had to go one in that scene was what Dojima and Adachi were telling him... It's not like Charles was willing to blab details either... :)**

**So here's the story of how Naoto got booted from the case, but then may explain or at least foreshadow, how she was able to get back on...**

**"Gut Instinct" April 17, 2011  
Naoto/Itomori/Chief**

_Inaba Police Department_

"So, in other words, 'Detective' Shirogane, we are no closer now than we were when Waldo called Dojima?" The Chief of Detectives said over the speakerphone, not sounding very happy.

"Waldo-san gave a brief description of his assailant… "Shirogane Naoto began.

"Which is not exculpatory in the least for him or helpful in the least for us. The prosecutor could poke holes in it either way we play it." The Chief was not one to play around. He expected results.

"No, but his medical records do exculpate him." Naoto had interrogated Charles Waldo, the American exchange student (and all-around pain in the ass when angered, Naoto ruefully admitted) who was suspected of kidnapping Amagi Yukiko, and murdering Yamano Mayumi and Konishi Saki. However, Waldo-san's medical records were faxed directly from the States to the Police department. In those records, it detailed his disability due to a toxic interaction with over-the-counter medications.

"I don't see how they would…" The Chief started to say.

"My apologies, but Waldo-san has limited upper body strength. It would serve him well in say…basketball, but when it comes to lifting or dragging a body, he would have exhausted himself. Indeed, if he attempted to carry those women up to their places of discovery, then he would have fallen to his death."

"Whatever expert he wants to put up will have a hard time disputing how suspicious his activities were last night and this morning. Arrest him."

Ken Itomori, the Deputy Chief of Detectives was not happy with his superior's conclusion. "I'm afraid that would be impossible. We released him."

"WHAT?! How could you allow that?"

Itomori was still annoyed that his superior officer was on vacation and apparently was relying upon sketchy information from junior detectives, patrol officers and sources within the media who was bursting to tell the story, more than the information they brought him up to speed on.

Itomori was also not fond of this…BOY that had been foisted upon them by the prefectural office, but at least he did have a grudging respect for the young Shirogane.

"We spoke to Prosecutor Watanabe. She stated once the records were procured any and all sympathy would go to him. In addition, his parents AND the Amagi girl's parents have filed complaints about his treatment. If we arrest him now after officially cleared of wrong doing, we'll lose face," Itomori explained.

"Watanabe's just tits and ass with a law degree. Get me Fujita. He'll get this case put through. He doesn't let sympathy sway HIM."

The Chief was an older gentleman from an even older school. He adopted what Tiger Tanaka had said in You Only Live Twice to James Bond as his gospel: "In japan, Men come first and Women come second." The Chief despised Watanabe because she refused to sleep with him. She did abstain from filing a complaint, only because she was willing to give the bastard a second chance. So far, he's been on his best behavior… To her face.

Itomori noticed that Shirogane bristled at the sexual and sexist comment. He agreed with Shirogane. The Chief was nearing Early Retirement age. He hoped the prefectural office would come to its senses and force him to retire.

"Sir, if I may, Waldo-san, while his profile may be borderline on his culpability, the exculpatory evidence proves that he is not capable of the murders or the kidnapping. Further, I still believe the Midnight Channel and the ritualistic placement of the bodies indicate that we should be looking for an individual who has a mental instability."

"'We?' There is no 'we', Shirogane. Your claptrap about the Midnight Channel and the 'ritualistic nature' just show to me that you are a young mind with an overactive imagination. We almost had an arrest, but you BLEW IT!" The chief was yelling at Naoto now. "Therefore, you are to be removed from this case immediately."

"If I may, you cannot do that. The prefectural office is the only entity that can discontinue my participation, if I myself do not," Naoto stated reasonably, though Itomori could tell there was an edge in the young boy's voice."

"The prefectural office doesn't know its ass from a hole in the ground. I'm not going to have my Division's time wasted on theories that only a kid could love. I can and will make sure you are banned from the building. You have 20 minutes to turn over your work to Itomori and leave the station or I will have you arrested for trespassing."

"I see. So, I am to be scapegoated because I did not achieve the result you desired…because I failed to give you the results I had promised?"

"The fabled Shirogane intellect presents itself," The Chief was well-known for disliking the Shirogane family. He felt that they were just a bunch of bored geniuses meddling in law enforcement. Which was to capture the criminal.

"Very well then, however, this will NOT go unchallenged. Expect to hear from My Grampa and I regarding your breach of the agreement," Naoto said coldly.

"Don't threaten me. Don't you know who I am?"

"Yes…You're a penis with a badge and a gun." Then Naoto left the office.

_Naoto's Apartment_

_What was I thinking? That…drunken lout. That sexist pig. That…That…ASSHOLE! I cannot believe that they let HIM be Chief of Detectives._

Itomori had apologized profusely for the incident and also stated that the Chief was not long for his job as it was. That's why he was drinking. As long as he was Chief and on vacation, the Prefectural office decided not to make waves by forcing his retirement yet. If he came in to work drunk, though… His decision to remove Naoto just accelerated the necessity to follow the timetable.

But that was cold comfort for Naoto, who felt the Chief was a drunken sexist fool, who needed to be put in his place.

Still, if there were another Murder to take place, then EVEN HE would have to call her back. Though Naoto felt despicable even considering fate intervening on her behalf at the cost of another's life. No matter how despicable that other life was.

_But what if he's right? What if I HAD botched the interrogation?_

Naoto doubted it, though, after thinking a little more.

Waldo-san's medical records have exculpated him. He was no guiltier of murder….

…Than Naoto being guilty for being an actual boy.

She was glad she had them totally convinced she was a 15 year-old boy. It was something that she took delight in. Fooling all the sexists gave her a slight thrill. She could be closer to being a hard-boiled detective, and all she needed was as many buffers between her and those who would look down upon her.

Her Grampa was not entirely happy with her ruse. But he supported her, because he knew it was harder now for a girl, even if it is a Shirogane, to gain any traction with the male-dominated police force.

Yet, she mused upon her recent …interviewee.

His love for the Amagi girl had stunned Naoto. She showed none of it, of course, but she still was reluctant to speak. She thought his insults were, well….insulting.

But it was his comment, "Because she was not a man" that had caused her great consternation. She had raised her voice to its natural feminine pitch, but then, though Waldo appeared to have known who she was, he had stated his comment was based upon her age, not her sex.

But still, she was curious about this older boy. How despite his attitude and insults, he seemed quite eloquent. Indeed, it appeared that his personal attacks weren't meant to hurt Naoto's feels… so much as they were designed to make her realize Charles believed "he" had lost "his" mind telling Charles "his" theory of the case.

But he had been right. She had had a workable theory, but no evidence to prove, and any prosecutor, Watanabe or Fujita would want that clear proof. Indeed, in Japan it was required, perhaps the most ironic protection a defendant had, if one were to look at it that way, is that because the burden of proof is on the defendant, the prosecutors need to have an ironclad airtight case to proceed. If they don't have it. Then there is no trial.

However, Naoto read Waldo's file again. She was correct in that his profile would be one where he could conceivably be one for a serial murderer. Strong family connection but few friends. American working-class background. No romances to speak of. One arrest that was only confirmed after much difficulty due to the records having been expunged.

But through that, she could tell… He meant what he said about how he felt about Amagi-san. Because the killer, she intuited had to have a severe case of misogyny to do these acts. Waldo didn't have it.

In fact his prayer stuck with Naoto.

_"Please don't let her die."_

Could a man as despicable as the culprit really care so much for the life of a third girl?

No, at least not in the pained, vulnerable way Waldo had said it. IT was genuine from him.

Still, Naoto had a promise to keep…

She picked up her phone and dialed a number.

"Hello, Grampa. Yes, I…Well, actually no I'm not fine. I am exhausted emotionally from my interrogation of Waldo-san, but I was also humiliated by the Chief of Detectives…who has breached the agreement with the prefectural office. Yes, Grampa… Yes. However, I believe I can still investigate 'off the books', so I do not wish to have you use your influence to overturn the Chief's decision.

"No, Grampa, I do not wish that action to be taken, though I do wish to still file the complaint. Rather, I need you to double check my work as you have offered to do in the past… Because I may need your influence to drive away a shadow on Waldo-san."

She held up the disc that contained the only copy of the interrogation. She was NOT going to turn it over to the police as what appeared on the midnight Channel was embarrassing. She would not let Amagi be embarrassed, even if she were the culprit. That would do more harm than good to Naoto.

"Grampa, I believe a dreadful mistake would be made if Waldo-san were arrested, for a crime I believe he COULD NOT have committed."

"…Yes, Grampa, Domo Arigato, I will e-mail you what I have immediately."

"Yes, I believe he knows more about this Midnight Channel than what he is telling…but he is not a murderer of women…"

"My reason…? Mommy once said, _'Call it a gut instinct'_"

**P.S. If you thought Naoto's parting shot at the Chief was OOC...Name me 5 fictional book-smart High school-aged girls who wouldn't do that. Because I think when dealing with rampant ageism and/or sexism, a smart girl is going to get pissed and go for a low blow verbal attack like that. Even Naoto, who is a tomboy, just in a sense that's different from Chie.**

**...That and I thought it would be as funny as hell.**


	5. Trust

**A/N: Originally, with this, I wanted to tell, the story Minako told Shinjiro regarding how she got together with Akihiko. However, I felt that was going to run the length of a Chapter, so...I'm postponing it for now the payoff to that, with some slight set up in here.**

**I also wanted to write for Ryoji, because unlike Persona 4, which I've beaten twice, I've only been as far as Shinjiro dead in FES. So Ryoji is something of a test for me, since I based it upon Youtube for his social link with Minako, and only half of that, at that.**

**So in other words, if this entry doesn't work for you...then I'm sorry.**

**"Trust"  
November 28, 2009  
Minako/Aigis/Ryoji**

**_November 28, 2009_**

_Port Island Hospital_

"I'm sorry Ms. Arisato, but Aragaki-san most likely will never emerge from his coma."

…

"I see." Arisato Minako replied hollowly to Dr. Yamata Matthew's prognosis.

"There is a possibility…but it may be several years…at best."

"I see. Doctor, are you telling me this because you're asking me for my opinion on whether you should…_Pull the plug,_ as the Westerners say it?"

Dr. Yamata was surprised. He had seen family members and friends of patients in various states of emotion…but this…

…this distant reaction wasn't denial.

…No, it was rather she had defeat in her spirit.

"Actually, no. The Kirijo Group is footing the bill for his treatment. However, I mention this because you appear to be a very close friend."

"Heh, you have no idea how 'close' we are."

"Actually, I was putting it mildly. You're his lover, I take it?"

Minako was surprised. She didn't expect to have had anyone figure it out.

Minato knew, of course. Her twin brother seemed to know everything.

He just didn't know how Minako truly felt…

If he said he did…

…he was fooling himself.

NOBODY knew how Minako was feeling… WHAT she was feeling.

Because she had given her trust in a man that betrayed her and her friends…

"That…that would be correct."

"I think he would want only the best for you."

"Are you trying to say I'm not welcome?" She said dangerously.

"No, I am saying; please take care of yourself too. I can already tell you have lost 2 kilos and you haven't had much sleep."

"Can't take naps when I'm saving the world."

"I'll just take that response as indication you need rest…and food."

"Very well, doctor. I'll take your…'prescription.'"

Minako left the office. Normally she would have collapsed and cried. But that was before.

Before Takaya from Strega shot Shinji.

Before Chairman Itkutski revealed himself as a puppet master, playing all the members of SEES as fools.

Before he shot Mitsuru's father.

Now, Shinji, her Senpai that she had fallen in love with…was now comatose.

No Hope.

And no one to trust…not the way she trusted Shinji.

She got on the train that took her back to the dorm. She couldn't even visit Shinji anymore today.

She felt bothered…but that was it.

She believed that she didn't need to feel happy anymore.

Two weeks before he had been shot. Minako gave him the pocket watch she had found. Then, despite his reluctance, he had, at her insistence, let her into his room.

They had afterwards spent a long time together…

She never had been with a man before.

Shinji was her first.

IT was the greatest night of her life.

And she had heard stories about someone's first time being awkward…

Never happened to her.

Why?

Because she trusted Shinji

And despite his always wanting to push people away…Shinji trusted her.

That trust was something that linked them together.

But now…

She would never feel that happy again.

Because, as they say, it's hard to trust someone to be your lover the second time.

She got off the train and walked to the dorm.

_SEES Dorm_

"Where have you been?" Sanada Akihiko asked, as his way of greeting. Normally Minako would respond…but given the mood she's in…

She wished her friends would at least stich up their greetings…

"Visiting Shinji," Minako replied. She walked past the lounging area. She heard Koromaru whimper.

She could never be aloof to Koro-chan, so she pet him. "How are you doing, boy?"

"Arf!" Koromaru said happily.

Akihiko was looking with concern. Minako had been acting…not her usual self since the last full moon. But it was nearly time for another one and she was losing her training edge.

It was also showing in her ability as co-leader with her brother. There were 2 near accidents that could have hurt people.

Plus, Akihiko had a personal reason for his concern.

But he didn't know if he could trust his feelings…

Minako went upstairs and heard arguing. _This again?!_ She thought.

"But I like spending time with Minako-chan and Minato-san. And they like spending time with me." The boy who said this was Mochizuki Ryoji. A new transfer student who seemed very friendly and full of life… Yet there was something about him that was almost familiar…

"I do not care. I have promised to protect them, and protect them I shall. You are to stay away from them as you are a threat." The one responding was Aigis, a girl…who really wasn't a girl. She was actually the Seventh Generation Anti-Shadow Weapon. She for some unknown reason perceived Ryoji as a threat to the two Arisatos.

"Shouldn't that be their choice, Aigis-san?" Ryoji asked in his normal friendly manner. "Besides…I don't want to see them hurt, either"

"You are not trustworthy, yet you clearly have fooled them into thinking you are. Therefore, I cannot trust their judgment is sound."

"And what proof do we have that you're not malfunctioning, Aigis?" Minako asked. "Are you saying that you can no longer trust Minato or me?"

"My apologies Mina-chan, but HE is a threat. And I would be remiss in keeping my oath if either or both twins came to harm."

"Aigis…you didn't answer my question…but maybe it was too insulting and you were taking the high road…. What evidence do you have that he's a threat?

"There is something about him that my sensors almost recognize, but cannot pinpoint."

"Maybe you're in love and I'm your soul mate, and you're jealous because I don't hang out with you." Ryoji said, with his typical kind smile.

Aigis looked away for a second.

"I have calculated that possibility and came into a 1 in 93 billion chance that you are right."

"That's not good, is it?" He asked.

"LOOK! Aigis, without proof you can't go around accusing him of anything or say he can't be friends with people."

"But is it not a truism that after what we have experienced with Chairman Itkutski that we should trust no one? Not even those we care about?"

Minako's face turned dark.

"There was ONE man I could trust with anything… And he's… he's…"

Then Minako ran off to her room on the third floor crying.

Minato came up the stairs, as he had just gotten home with Junpei and Yukari and had heard the tail end.

"Aigis, Sis is right. If you think Ryoji's a threat…and I don't believe he is… then please find proof, if for nothing else than for you to gain closure. I'm saying this because I want to fight the Shadows in Tartarus, not the shadows we're jumping at that belong to us."

"… Very well. However, I would advise you still remain cautious." Then Aigis walked downstairs.

"Thank you, Minato-san. I hope I prove worthy of your trust in me."

"Make sure you do. Because if there comes a day where my sister…or any of my friends….can no longer truly trust each other or me…"

"Then the world is doomed, and Chairman Son of a Bitch will have won."

"Trust me on that."


	6. Small, Trivial Things

**Since I've started IDBH I've had several bonding moments (in the traditional sense, as opposed to he Persona-sense) with Yu and Yukiko. A few with Chie, 2 with Kanji, Several with Dojima, a couple with Nanko that were small... but just one with Yosuke. So that's why I've decided to be unoriginal in plugging inone of the Magicial Social Link Skits and replace Yu with Charles. Just because there will be a payoff down the road.**

**"Small, Trivial Things"  
April 20, 2011  
Yosuke/Charles**

_Junes Food Court_

"Thank you for inviting me, Yosuke," Charles said.

"Ehhh, Nothing to it." Yosuke was smiling with his customary wink.

Charles and Yosuke were at the Junes Food Court. Charles really hadn't planned on doing anything except for maybe calling or texting Yukiko. He had visited her the previous day, but didn't want to be a burden to her. She still needed to get better.

He…was so happy to have her rescued from Mayonaka.

But this was not about her. This was about Yosuke. Yosuke had been hanging out with Yu in Okina City and Souzai Daigaku, the establishment in the Shopping District that sold quick and easy steak recipes. Charles wondered how that could be done on the same day. Then Charles remembered it was to kill time on Sunday before they went in to Mayonaka.

But when Yu said he had something else to do, Yosuke saw Charles and asked him. Probably as a male bonding experience.

But Charles figured it was the food court because Yosuke was low on cash.

"Yosuke, I can pay for us, it'll pay you back for what you bought us last Wednesday."

"Don't worry about it, Chuck, it's my treat and I mean it."

"All right…" Charles still felt lousy and had insisted several times he wanted to pay Yosuke back, but Yosuke wouldn't listen.

"Look, Chuck, hanging out here with you isn't that bad every so often. Even if we're short on cash, we can get a little discount here."

So that was it. Yosuke wanted to use his employee discount, and couldn't if Charles were paying.

"Though there is another price to pay…" Yosuke said, his smile having faded a little.

"Oh, there you are, Hanamura!" Said a girl's voice. And Charles knew that despite the aggressive tone, it was not Chie who said it, because she knew how to include her caring nature into it. No…this was someone else.

Charles saw two girls approach Charles and Yosuke's table. Both were wearing sheer attitudes on their faces, but that's where their tastes in fashion split off. One was a girl who had brown hair in a bun, an orange V-neck blouse with the "V-line" bordered in red. Blue jean shorts and brown knee-high boots. Charles was wondering where the cowgirl hat was. The other girl wore a red dress over a white long-sleeved shirt. She wore black thigh-high stockings with open-toed white flats. Charles noticed that the combination for footwear was a little…off. He also noticed that her shorter black hair had uneven bangs, just like Yukiko.

Both girls may have thought they were the taste of fashion… Charles wanted their palates checked.

To be sure they weren't ugly girls…they just had ugly attitudes and Charles had a funny feeling he knew this was what Yosuke meant by another price to pay.

"For example…" Yosuke said dejectedly. He turned around to face them.

"Hello there, Senpai. What's wrong today?" Yosuke said it cordially enough, but Charles got the subtle hint that these two complained too much.

Unfortunately they needed a less subtle hint as the girl in orange said, "You better say something to that blockhead manager! I told him I can't come in on Saturdays or Sundays!"

_THAT'S what they're bothering Yosuke about?! Their weekend shifts?! I worked weekends last summer at a movie theater that could employ 16 and 17 year olds. I had no problem, because I was saving up to come to Japan. Even though I have my stipend from the settlement with the drug manufacturer, I still didn't mind._

"I tried to tell him, but he's saying I have to be here since we're low on staff. And if I don't, he'll fire me!" The girl continued.

"Isn't there some kinda law against that?!" The other girl said, with a snooty tone.

_Yeah, the law of averages… No. If you originally said you would at your hiring, then you have to live up with it._

"Er, but…Didn't you guys say you could work weekends during your interviews?" Yosuke asked.

"_Yeah, how do you like them apples?!" _Charles muttered in English.

"Well, yeah! They wouldn't hire us if we didn't!" The first girl said.

At this point Charles was rolling his eyes. He felt bad for Yosuke, but these two were ridiculous. He knew for a fact there was a girl in Class 2-2 who works at Junes but takes care of a very sick sister on the weekends. She has to miss Saturday classes because that sister can't take care of herself. Her parents care of the sister at night, one of her relatives does in the day while the student is at school and then the parents have to work hard on weekends. Which is why Junes gave her a pass on working weekends. Especially since she was a hard working employee, student, and sister. Charles felt really bad because he was afraid that student would collapse any day now.

These two, however, just wanted their cake and eat it too, because they didn't have such a circumstance.

Yosuke looked frustrated. Then he mulled it over before coming up with an idea.

"Alright, I got it! I'll try talking to him…. But you don't want to get fired right? It'd make it easier for me to strike a deal if you could show up on weekends every now and then…"

Charles was pleased. He knew Yosuke was smart, just needed a little more of a comment filter, but this…this was an awesome compromise.

"…We'll think about it." The gaudily dressed student said.

"You'd better do it, 'kay?" The snooty girl said. Then they left.

_He gives you a GIFT, and you're STILL unhappy. I'd tell Yosuke not to do it after all, but…they do need people._

Yosuke barely had time to recover from that when another Junes employee came up to him. "Oh, Yosuke-kun. Just the man I was looking for…"

The woman came up to Yosuke and discussed a claim that she had from the other day and something involving the head butcher…

Yosuke fielded two other complaints afterward.

"Phew… I'm beat… I'm not the complaints department…"

"Too bad, because I was gonna complain that I haven't seen my friend in the last half-hour," Charles said, playfully smiling.

"Still Yosuke, You're awesome and incredible. I can't believe you have the patience for that."

"Huh? Dude it's nothing but trouble!" Yosuke then started to smile sheepishly. Then he turned frustrated.

"Geez…Everyone's trying to take advantage of me as the Junes kid."

"Do you need help?" Charles asked sympathetically.

"Nah, I got it. As much as I would like to have you work here… I think that maybe you're better as a pinch hitter."

"I always help my friends, Yosuke."

"I know. And I wouldn't mind taking complaints if I was free, but we have the murders to deal with. I don't have time for this."

Charles just nodded.

"I mean, Can the police really handle the killer? Can the law really convict whoever's behind this…? Once I started worrying about that stuff, I knew I couldn't bother with anything else." Yosuke looked troubled by the heaviness of it all.

"I have to do what I can…" Yosuke concluded.

"That's the Spirit!" Charles grinned.

"Hey, don't get carried away! You make me feel like I said something crazy!" Yosuke said, annoyed.

"What else should I say, Yosuke? Anything else I would have said would have made you feel worse."

Yosuke was still taken aback by how much Charles cared. "Haha… I never thought I'd be talking about serious stuff like this… Before I moved here, it was all small talk… Stupid, trivial things. I thought that was fine."

"It's only with you guys that I talk seriously about this. I dunno why, but I feel like I don't have to lie… Especially with Narukami…who's seen the worst of me and all already… and you, because you don't like making people feel terrible about who they are."

Charles was touched Yosuke would say that to him.

"Yosuke… thanks, but… I have made mistakes. You know that. You've seen me at my worst."

"And… I don't care, because you were longing for something, the same thing I was longing for…"

"What's that…?"

"More than one true friend."

Tears welled up in Charles's eyes. "You're right,"

"Well, I'm hungry. Maybe I can get a special deal on the Meat Lover's Combo if I talk to the guy at the counter."

"Yosuke…"

"What, Chuck?" Yosuke was curious about what Charles had to say.

"Don't ignore the small, trivial things completely. There's a time and place for us to cherish and discuss them. We just have to make sure we don't focus on them to the detriment of larger issues."

"… You're right, Chuck."

Yosuke was able to get the Meat Lover's Combo. He and Charles did talk about small, trivial things.

But they talked about the small, trivial things that mattered to them.


	7. Actual Police Work

**A/N: I don't hate Police officers.**

**But the Persona-verse seems to Imply that in Inaba, Dojima is the only cop who knows what he is doing. Therefore, I took the edge off, by having a cop who is long past retirement and needs to be put out to pasture.**

**Also, I hope that this makes sense Contiunuity-wise. I tried. My apologies if it doesn't work out for you.**

**"Actual Police Work"  
April 9, 2011  
Dojima/Adachi/?**

_Inaba Police Department_

"We know you were there!" Dojima Ryotaro said to the suspect in front of him.

"Yeah, I was there. But you're fulla crap if you think I did anything." The suspect was not giving ground.

"You've been in here four times in the last two weeks, what are we supposed to think?" Dojima was tired of fencing with this boy

"Dude! You cops are just hasslin' me. That one guy, Imura, has it in for me. I can't go anywhere without him poppin' up and arrestin' me."

"Then what were you doing at the community center?" The other detective, Adachi Tohru said

"I ain't tellin' you shit! You got nothin' on me. You're just going by my rep. I didn't beat up anybody that didn't come at me first."

"So they came at you first?" Dojima said.

"Look, I didn't beat on that kid! I got him outta there."

"There are those who disagree with you."

"I don't care, that kid woulda been trampled on if it weren't for me or worse, come to think of it. You know it. I know it. And he knows it. So stop wastin' everybody's time and just admit you don't have nothin'"

"Kanji, this looks bad, even for you."

"I don't care. I know that I did nothing wrong and that's that!"

Adachi received a text and then looked at Dojima and shook his head.

This was not news Dojima wanted to hear.

"So… are we going to keep up with wasting everybody's time?"

"All right, you can go, Kanji. But I'm watching you."

"Enjoy the View, SIR."

"So?" Ken Itomori, Deputy Chief of Detectives asked Dojima and Adachi.

"Imura texted Adachi saying the kid's not fingering him. In fact, he's thanking him."

"So we're back to Square One? Tell Imura I want to see him in my office when he gets in. The Chief and I need to speak to him about jumping to conclusions."

"Yes, sir!" Adachi said.

"I knew he was innocent, he gets into fights, but he was right, he doesn't start them, at least not throw the first punch. He has threatened before, but never anything where he could be held accountable for provoking." Dojima looked disappointed. "Now, I've wasted my time interrogating someone who'll trust cops even less."

"We've all been aware, Dojima, that Imura's bias against the boy has caused us to 'catch-and-release' Tatsumi several times. That's why you did the interrogation. But now all we can do is reconstructing the scene."

"That's going to take a while."

"Something more important?" Itomori looked bemused. Dojima never turned down any aspect about working a case.

"It's just, on Monday, I'm supposed to pick up my Nephew and a Foreign Exchange student who'll be moving in with me for the next year."

"Then I suggest you two work fast."

"Yes sir! We are the top two Detectives and we are on the case!" Adachi said.

Itomori just stared at Adachi.

Once he left, Dojima smacked Adachi upside the head. "When you brown-nose, don't be obvious, dumbass."

"Y-Yes, sir." Adachi was left confused. "So what do we do now?"

"You heard the man," Dojima said, looking at Adachi like he grew a third nostril on purpose. "We do some actual police work."

_Yasoinaba Community Center_

"It's just as I told the other detective…Imura," Dr. Miranda Kensington, Assistant Director to the Community Center said, "We were promoting an Arts and Crafts show made by the various students who spend their time here. Someone had taken offense to one of the guests, and then the fight broke out when that person refused to leave."

"That someone being Tatsumi Kanji, Ma'am?" Adachi asked.

"No, in fact, he was one of those asked to leave and he actually was in the process of leaving when the fight broke out. No, it was another boy, a third-year at Yasoinaba Academy, the private high school. I don't remember his name. He was wearing his school uniform, but he refused to leave. He had been escorted off the premises before due to causing trouble."

"What kind of trouble would that be?"

"Just like it always is with boys, talking to that girl over there."

Dojima had been watching Adachi ask the questions. He was good at doing that. He just did not know the meaning of the word, "discreet"… Hell, he probably didn't know the spelling of the word "discreet" Still, Dojima looked and saw a young girl in a pink kimono with white flowers, and black hair. "Yukiko?"

She had been looking at some of the pieces of damaged artwork for some reason, "Hm? Oh, Dojima-san, I should have expected you to be here."

"Yes, and it appears you have been here a lot."

"I…uh stop by whenever I run errands for the Inn. If I have time, of course." She seemed to be shy about something, but Dojima did not know what.

"Were you here when things went out of control?"

"Yes, I was here with Chie. We were looking at one of the exhibits, when this boy came up to me and started chatting. He had tried it before and I was always polite, but even this time Chie couldn't convince him to leave."

"Satonaka not convincing… I don't believe it. I've seen how well she has your back," Dojima said, bemused.

"Well, I had asked her this time to try to make him leave without being too aggressive. But then these three boys from Yasogami High showed up and told him to leave. He wouldn't. Though another boy, I didn't know who had walked by and thought they had been talking to him. Because of that, he left when he heard them."

"You don't know who this boy was, the one who was making his exit?" Dojima asked.

"Not at the time, sir. I saw him from the back, he was tall, with blond hair and had his jacket hung over his shoulders. But other than that, I never saw his face or anything, so I didn't know who he was. I didn't even hear any names until later when I was told it was Kanji-kun"

"I take it you know Tatsumi?"

"Yes, Detective-san. We used to play together as kids. We were friends, and then after his father died and I had a linger illness, we lost touch. I haven't spoken him to years. I would have loved to have had the opportunity had things not gone… Pear-shaped."

"What about the other boys? Why were they interested in you?"

"I believe…*sigh* they were trying to impress me so that they could date me, part of the 'Amagi Challenge.' I was most embarrassed by their actions. Especially since they got into a fight over me."

"Has your father considered putting up a sign saying, 'Do Not Date'?"

"Chie suggested that, but my Mother felt it was unreasonable because it would just tempt the boys more. That, and probably would violate the dress code at school, sir."

"But then the fight broke out. Chie got me out of there quickly, at least away from the fight. But the one boy who had talked to me was fighting off the other three. But then certain items, like these, were falling over or were broken."

"However, one sculpture that was ceramic, but very heavy was going to fall on a little boy. I saw the little boy had been hurt earlier, and was about to be crushed, when the blond boy fell on top of the little boy and protected him."

"So he got hit by the sculpture?" Dojima asked.

"Not completely, they did roll out of the way enough to be hit by the lightest part of that sculpture…But I told this to that other detective."

"Adachi. If I have to remind him again about keeping me in the loop. … "

"No, sir. Imura. Detective Imura. He also wanted to get a name and description of the blond boy. I gave him what I knew and he left. I tried to tell him who really instigated the fight, but he wouldn't listen. He kept trying to have me admit it was Tatsumi Kanji, but I kept refusing him. Until finally he became angry and left."

"Did he say why he was interested in Tatsumi Kanji?"

"He seemed to believe that Kanji-kun had started the fight. I said that was not possible as he was a quarter way out the door, when the fighting started."

"…Are you all right?"

"I'm embarrassed, Dojima-san. I know boys want to date me or be my boyfriend, but really, I don't want... children with their hormones raging…" She cast an arm around the damaged art …not if it causes this."

"Another thing then, what was the boy's names…the one who approached you…"

"His name was Yamaichi Hiroshi…from the academy."

"Thank you, Amagi-san, and tell your parents I said hello."

"I will, sir." Yukiko left with Satonaka Chie who had been hanging back.

"Well, it's the same as hers with Satonaka, and the rest. Imura was insisting on Tatsumi, but Tatsumi was on his way out the door."

"Damn Imura. He was already a year past retirement and he pulls this crap."

"But sir wasn't he a Senpai of yours on the Force?" Adachi asked.

"Indeed he was. He wasn't the Senpai who taught me many things, but Imura taught me on how to use 'Detective's Intuition.'

"Detective's Intuition?"

"Yes, basically a sense that SOMETHING is out of place or wrong. My intuition was screaming that Tatsumi didn't cause the fight, but may have been involved. Turns out with actual police work that was not the case."

"So what happens now?" Adachi asked.

Dojima wished for a cigarette, but decided to wait until outside. "Imura will be thanked for his service but asked to retire. We'll have to arrest the Yamaichi boy, and also the three other boys will have to be talked to…though I'm sure a court will go lighter on the Yasogami boys because they reacted, but all 4 parents are going to have to apologize to the artists and pay for any damages."

"You see, a lot of evenings are ruined, but because Imura wasn't willing to do actual police work, at least one more person's was ruined, and now we'll have to apologize to Tatsumi Kanji. Whether he'll accept or not… that's up to him."

"But that's why you do actual police work, so that the wrong person isn't arrested, and the right criminal does the time."

"Wow! You know a lot, sir!"

Dojima looked at Adachi and said, "A little better, but still obvious, Adachi."

Though Adachi didn't understand why Dojima was smirking.

_Adachi will fill in quite well._

_If he learns how to do actual police work._


	8. Whipping Boy

**A/N: First, I have to apologize to Meia42, because I had promised to show this story of how Yu was all , "Bad, Bad, Leroy Brown," As I had referred to in "Chapter 36: Sins Past." A little bit late, so I'm sorry.**

**Most of this entry will be narrated in first person POV**

**"Whipping Boy"  
May 16, 2011/April 11, 2011-April 18, 2011  
Yu/Charles**

**_May 16, 2011 (B)_**

_Dojima Residence_

"Domo Arigato! Domo Arigato!" My friend Charles Waldo says through his tears. I'm holding him up to support him.

He keeps at this until he's cried himself to sleep.

I feel miserable. I should NEVER have put him in this position. It's unfair to him.

All I can say is, "You're welcome… my friend."

I honestly mean that.

My name is Narukami Yu. I've moved here to Inaba because my parents' work selling networking infrastructures took them to the U.S. Meanwhile, I'm out in the Japanese Countryside with my Mother's Brother and his daughter.

Charles, on the other hand, is a foreign exchange student who also wanted a fresh start from a past that he would soon rather wish wouldn't constantly haunt him. He's also my roommate and one of my best friends.

I mean, Yosuke is probably my bestest best friend, because we have more in common than Charles and I do. But still…

…Talking to Charles was so easy… is so easy.

But that was only…after…

I'm getting ahead of myself.

I pick Charles up and lay him on the couch… I then put a blanket on him and take off his glasses.

He looks so fragile like that.

And yet, considering the fact that he had to confront certain truths about himself…

I'm not surprised he's that way now, than when he and I first met…

…and then met for the first time again…

But perhaps I should finally elaborate…

**_April 11, 2011 (A)_**

_Train between Tokyo and Yasoinaba_

I HATED Charles when I first saw him. Absolutely LOATHED him.

Understand…He did NOTHING to earn this disdain from me. I just want to make that clear up front. No, in this case the Protagonist is also the Antagonist. I'm the villain…not him.

I boarded the train and saw I was the only one on there…except for this brown-haired American who just nodded to me. I didn't think much of him. Probably some spoiled rich kid from the States who liked to bend in with those…working-class clothes on a trip to Japan.

But as time went on…I did wonder if that was really the case.

I didn't really care. I didn't want to go.

You see, my parents usually took me with them on their trips, including the last two in America. But they had said that because of the extended period on the trips, they weren't sure if I wouldn't be harming my educational development by being gone a full year. A semester was not a problem, but two?

No, they figured I would be better off with my Uncle and his cousin.

Now, some people may hear about my parents and think they don't love me or anything… That's Bullshit. My parents love me very much… but you see, three weeks before, I had gotten into minor trouble of mistaken identity. There's this celebrity who looks like me called Seta Souji who's known for wild drunken antics. The police were looking for him and thought he was me. I was briefly detained. My parents worked it out, but my attitude the entire time had been horrendous…or so one of the officers said.

All I said was they were making a huge mistake and if they wanted to keep their badges they'd call my parents immediately. That was it. Nothing else other than my name and Date of Birth and I wasn't Seta Souji.

Some cops like to make up shit like that to make themselves look better. That's why I like my Uncle… he doesn't lie.

But I digress… The incident was still embarrassing enough that I thought my parents had believed the officers, especially when my parents sternly told me to explain EVERYTHING. They said they believed me.

Trouble was…I didn't believe them.

I thought they were pissed at me for embarrassing them and decided to kick my ass to the curb to Yasoinaba, which I thought meant in conversational Japanese, "Shitsville, Japan."

I had been sleeping when I had seen these images in my head, of this woman being attacked. A blonde woman. A man with pointed ears and a long nose. And Izanagi…my Persona. But that comes later.

When we passed through a tunnel I woke up, startled.

I then looked out the window…any other time I would think it's beautiful… Right then I was annoyed. But all I muttered to myself was, "Another year."

"What's wrong with a year?"

I was startled and saw the American boy smiling kindly at me. I should have relaxed then…realized I had someone willing to talk to me and maybe even help me through my melancholy.

Notice I said "should have", because back then I was pissed.

How dare this…person… intrude on a sore wound after not saying anything for hundreds of miles? He thinks he can just "_waltz in"_ and make everything better?

Still…the way he's looking, I decide to throw him a bone, just because I know if I don't he'll just keep bothering me. "What's wrong is, is that my parents will be on business in the States, while I have to be away from them. Again."

"Parents' business uproot you much?"

WHAT THE FUCK IS WITH HIM? I GIVE HIM ENOUGH TO SATISFY MOST WOMEN AND HE STILL WANTS MORE.

"NOT any of yours," I reply very coldly.

"I apologize if I overstepped my bounds." And then he decides to hold up his hand in a token defense.

"If," he says. "If."

"Look, no offense, but I'm not in the mood. I'm moving in with my uncle who I haven't seen in years and then if that's not enough, I have to deal with a pain-in-the-ass fish-out-of-water guy who'll be my roommate, so you can see, I'm sorry if I have my manners aren't all here."

"It's okay, but I'd really like us to be friends."

"Not gonna happen."

"I may be a pain-in-the-ass fish-out-of-water, but I think it'll happen before the year is up." And then he warmly smirks at me.

"Y-You're my new roommate?" I say.

"Charles Waldo. And you are?" And then he extends his hand to me.

Why was he being so nice to me? I made it clear that I didn't want anything to do with him. Maybe the gods were angry at me as well. Forcing him on me for a year.

The train stopped at Yasoinaba station.

I don't take his hand. I just as POLITELY as I can muster, bow to him. "Narukami Yu."

After that, Uncle picked us up…we stopped at a gas station where I shook the attendant's hand, then became dizzy.

Then we ended up at our new home for the next year.

Uncle reminds us about sharing a room. I try to be polite and not refuse Charles.

I was really planning on ways to get him kicked out.

There was something about him that annoyed me. And the worst part was…he NEVER did anything to deserve that.

So when I ask him if he's taking the couch or the floor, as I called the futon, Charles pissed me off with, "Yu-chan, it's only our first date, please try to be gentle," in a voice that while was teasing was also in friendship.

I snarl at him and grab him by his shirt, _"Listen to me, Waldo, and listen well. I DO NOT WANT to be here… So I don't need you making things worse with your stupid little jokes, and your bullshit attempts at friendliness… The couch or the floor?"_

_"The…The floor… and I'm sorry, Yu."_

_"Fuck you." _And then I went to sleep.

That night, I heard in my sleep what I thought was crying…I know now it wasn't my dreams or sleep state. It had actually been Charles. And I feel miserable about that.

Back then…I didn't care… All I cared about was making a good impression with the teacher…

**_April 12, 2011 (A)_**

_Yasogami High_

"You perverted shit! I saw you looking at the girl next to the window! Don't deny it, you loser!"

"Who are YOU calling a loser?" I say in response. I already don't like the fact that Charles and I are sharing classes. I had hoped that he could have been in Class 2-1 or 2-3 so I wouldn't have to put up with his shit. No such luck.

But NOW, my Homeroom teacher, Morooka Kinshiro, just bitches about 'perverts and assholes.' Worse, he lumps me in.

Still, I'm bailed out when a girl in green points out an empty seat to the left of her and asks if it's okay to sit next to her.

She introduces herself as Satonaka Chie.

Then, Morooka introduces Charles. I notice he has trouble writing his name in Kanji on the board…but think nothing else of it.

Then Charles is accused of looking at the girl at the back of our row, who had a polite blank stare. He respectfully denies. He gets placed on the teacher's Shit List. Then he's told to sit "By Amagi, so that you can hopefully develop some self-control."

I groan inwardly because he's going to be in front of me, too. But then, I notice the girl in front of Chie. She has black hair and a red Cardigan sweater. She turns around and mutters to Chie, "Never going to see him again, huh?" This surprises me, because I don't know how she would know him.

I see him walking towards the desk but he stops once she looks at him. In fact, they look at each other significantly like…

Oh, HELL, no! He's in love with her. Now he'll be nigh-unbearable.

"Are you blind, Waldo?! Even with glasses."

Almost everybody laughs at Charles.

Including me.

Charles seemed oblivious to my participation, but he was very embarrassed and humiliated.

Chie whispers to us that the teacher's nicknamed King Moron. Then, he starts teaching the class…about perverts and assholes, instead of actual Philosophy.

Charles tries not to look Amagi.

After school, we're delayed by a report of an incident in the school zone, and this boy trying to apologize to Chie for ruining her DVD before he gets it in the nads.

Chie invites her friend Yukiko and me to Junes, after some introductions are made. I figure this was a perfect opportunity to ditch Charles.

But then, Charles whispers, "Y-Yu, i-is it all right i-if I j-join you? I-I d-don't have m-my k-key yet."

The previous night's incident left Charles very docile…To this day… I am still ashamed I did that to him. Scared him so much that he had decided for his own safety, he would be VERY tentative around me.

I decided it would look bad with Uncle if I left Charles in the rain waiting for Nanako or Dojima to come home, so I relented.

If the girls noticed how docile he really was, they probably figured it was because he was nervous being in a new country.

Yukiko on the way out was accosted by some punk who wanted to date her. She declined.

I heard about the "Amagi Challenge" and figured Charles would surely lose.

We walked along the Samegawa. Chie was trying to wax poetic about the place, and Yukiko.

Charles had tried to impress her with a riddle about things not showing up until it's the last place one looks when she had said she didn't want a boyfriend… I just felt that he was being cute.

Then we stumble upon a crime scene. Uncle tells us to go home.

Once we part ways, I hear Charles mutter, "My dream girl…and she wants nothing to do with me."

"Dream girl?"

"Y-yes, Y-Yu, I h-had a d-dream about h-her."

He told me his dream. I was disappointed it wasn't more erotic.

"You realize you have no shot with her," I said.

His heart broke hearing that…he had hoped last night was just me in a bad mood.

Sorry to break it to you, Chuck. Bad mood's here to stay.

**_April 13-16, 2011 (A)_**

As the days went on, I treated Charles worse when Uncle or my cousin Nanako weren't around at home and when Yukiko or Chie weren't around at school.

He was my whipping boy. He didn't understand how ANGRY I was being in the boonies.

I wanted to MAKE HIM understand.

He wanted to know if I was anti-American. I told him no. If he had been Japanese he'd get it as bad, if not worse.

I was cruel and gave him shit. Whenever he would say something about Yukiko, I told him to shut up and that nobody cared.

We made friends with Yosuke when Charles took the first of his few stands by rescuing Yosuke from his garbage fate. I reluctantly helped.

Grateful, he took us after school to Junes. Chie joined because of her DVD.

We met Saki-senpai, later to be the next murder victim. The first was a TV announcer named Yamano Mayumi.

Chie told us about the Midnight Channel. About how if you watched an unplugged TV at Midnight when it's raining…you can see your soul mate. She urged us to try it.

So I did. And then I got a headache and a voice that sounded like mine and not mine made me go toward the TV. I put my hand in and got stuck. I tried to pull myself out.

"YU!" Charles said. I felt him pull at me trying to rescue me. But it seemed to be a strain to him. He finally pulled me free but I fell on him.

"Why the fuck did you do that? I could have pulled myself out."

"B-Because I w-was worried y-you w-would have l-lost y-your h-hand," He said.

"Well, I didn't."

"Y-Yu, W-what d-did I-I d-do to m-make you h-hate me?"

Before I could answer that question. Nanako asked what happened. I replied I tripped on Charles and fell on him.

Then I answered his question, "You decided to be my roommate."

I never saw a human being visibly hate himself as much as I saw it with Charles.

I looked away.

I tried to convince myself that he wasn't a waste of my time.

Which is why it surprised me the next morning, when I noticed my pillow and futon had been stained with tears.

Charles still tried to be my friend. He tried to convince himself that I was just really uncomfortable about my new living situation and would treat him with decency and kindness.

I marveled at his ability to sense the real me underneath the anger… I didn't deserve his friendship.

I still don't.

He tried to make nice with Yukiko. His attempt the previous day was hilarious when he made a comment about her weight, that was a compliment, but not every girl would take as such. I just laughed at his stupidity. This day, she seemed to appreciate him

This day, he tried to prove to Chie and Yosuke that I was telling the truth about the TV. They scoffed and said we could go to the Electronics section at Junes and see if I could go through the larger TVs.

There was something about me, though, that appreciated Charles's efforts.

I tested a TV, but Yosuke's bladder issue had us go to another Dimension.

We ended up exploring a scary room, where Charles vomited.

I was disgusted with him. Couldn't he control himself? Was he a wuss?

Then he mentioned his bruises, which I grudgingly allowed for.

Then we encountered Teddie and then were attacked by Shadows.

Then my headache returned and I received my Persona, Izanagi.

I used him to protect everybody from the Shadows…

Including Charles.

If you ask me why, I don't have an answer. I could have said that I still wanted my whipping boy.

But being mean to him held less and less appeal.

I just wanted him dead…though in such a way that I was blameless.

I was tired of him… or that's what I convinced myself.

We got out of the TV with the help of Teddie.

Charles had his offer of helping at the Amagi Inn accepted by Yukiko. I was relieved because I would have two nights and a school day without him.

However, first we received news that Konishi Saki…our Senpai was dead.

Yosuke was crushed.

Charles actually attempted to comfort Yosuke.

As far as I was concerned, he could try to make friends with Yosuke, Yukiko, and Chie…

But he wasn't long for this world.

Yosuke and I went into "Mayonaka" as Charles had dubbed it. Yosuke gained his Persona.

Charles had gone to the Amagi Inn. That night on the Midnight Channel, I saw Yukiko and Charles on it.

I had to restrain from expressing my glee.

THIS. WAS. PERFECT!

We could rescue Yukiko if she got caught, and if Charles was caught as well… then, I could possibly contrive a situation where he would die to the murderer.

All I had to do was let nature take its course…

Which it did…

When Charles and Yukiko were kidnapped.

…

Then Charles had to blow it for me by escaping from Mayonaka

**_April 17-18, 2011 (A)_**

Charles had escaped. Chie wasn't happy. Because Yukiko was still in there

I was furious. He couldn't just die?

What was worse…? Charles had fallen in love with Yukiko.

At that point, I gave up on him dying. He was like a cockroach. Nuke him a few times and he's still standing.

We went in Mayonaka with weapons. I would have preferred the ones Yosuke had brought, but they were too realistic and had gotten him and I arrested.

We had gone into Mayonaka, as we had a deadline of two days to rescue Yukiko due to an incoming storm. Earlier, I told Charles he wasn't coming…He told me he was. While Chie and Yosuke were too busy looking at weapons at Daidara-sama's, he hinted in a whisper he would tell Uncle about how I treated him. I said he was bluffing. "Yu want to take that chance?"

I was stunned that he had grown a spine.

Then, later that day, he grew another one when fighting Shadow Chie when he actually nearly made my wish come true by being beaten horribly by Shadow Chie's whip.

He was healed…but I didn't want him dead.

I didn't even dislike him that much.

We left and agreed to come back.

But then Charles had agreed to become my "Jiminy Cricket," Because my arrest had been on YouTube. However I hadn't heard that part and thought Charles was agreeing just to gather evidence to help support his claims that I was a bastard.

I essentially proved it to him when I said he couldn't come to Mayonaka. HE said again he was. I replied he couldn't while bruised. He said his bruises had healed.

I punched him in the gut.

Then I kicked him twice more there.

Then I threatened to do something horrific to him, once I figured out what it was going to be if he told Uncle...

As I left the school roof he was crying.

He then said his first of the two sets of words that haunt me to this day…

"PLEASE DON'T PUNISH HER JUST BECAUSE YOU'RE PISSED AT ME!"

I just left him there.

I "explained" Charles's bruises had flared up again to Chie and Yosuke…

They seemed to buy it.

We entered Mayonaka.

With Yosuke's and Chie's Personas we had won and rescued Yukiko.

She then accepted her Shadow and gained a Persona herself.

However, Charles's Shadow showed up. And had made a wide variety of insults, but since Charles wasn't there…he said he would wait until another time.

Unfortunately a large Shadow known as the Contrarian King had shown up and had knocked us back. However, since we weren't knocked unconscious we managed to protect Yukiko.

We had fought the King quite well. He was down, but not out.

But then there were all these small Shadows that gathered… We couldn't fight them and the King.

Especially since they were going for the King.

Yukiko said, "Go!" Then she summoned her Persona.

"Yukiko! We're not leaving you here…"

"Chie! I'm sorry, but you need to get out and these Shadows are gathering, I need to cover your escape."

"Yukiko-san…there's another way," Yosuke said.

"If we all run, then the King gets his strength back and may even have greater speed. I'm very sorry."

"Here then, wear these." I gave her my glasses to wear.

"Domo. One other thing, Narukami…"

"What?"

She hesitated and with tears streaming down, she said, "Please tell Charles-chan…I will ALWAYS love him."

I was stunned.

"NOW GO!"

"I did as she said. Yosuke and Chie leading me out."

Teddie made me a new pair of glasses, but we left Mayonaka for a few minutes to catch our breath."

I felt miserable.

She was sacrificing herself for us…

For ME.

And after the way I treated Charles…

I didn't deserve it…

I let my anger with my parents get the better of me and take it out on an innocent boy.

I hated myself.

Chie said the storm was now iffy on coming to Inaba. However we went back in.

We sensed Yukiko was alive, much to Chie's relief, as well as mine and Yosuke's.

But she was on the fifth floor of the castle.

On that floor it had changed. It was straightforward, but it had become a maze where you would go down one stretch of hallway and then end up in another.

At this point we had exhausted ourselves. We agreed, reluctantly, that since the storm was not a sure thing hitting Inaba, we would come back with Charles the next day.

I showed up at home and explained to Charles everything.

I also apologized for my behavior…saying that I was mad at my parents.

Charles said he would withhold judgment on forgiving me.

He was worried about Yukiko.

It had begun to rain.

Charles had his eyes closed and mouthing words in prayer.

However, I saw the fog… and became dizzy when it hit Midnight.

I heard sirens.

Yosuke called.

"Hey… you know all the commotion in the neighborhood..? They found a dead body…"

Yosuke paused. I was afraid to hear what came next.

"It… It was Yukiko-san…"

I dropped my cell…

Then became dizzy again and fell to my knees.

But I wouldn't wallow in self-pity for long.

Because Charles heard.

And he hit me.

And then he said the second set of words that haunt me to this day, while he pounded my chest with his fists.

_"SHE'S DEAD! YOU KILLED HER! YOU SHOULD HAVE LET ME HELP! I HATE YOU, NARUKAMI. I FUCKING HATE YOU! WHAT DID I DO TO YOU?! I LOVED HER! YOU TOOK HER AWAY FROM ME! YOU BASTARD! YOU FUCKING BASTARD!"_

Then he fell to the ground and cried.

"I-I'm sorry, Charles."

Then I became dizzy again.

I passed out as everything turned white.

When I woke up, I was in a place I'd been to before.

"Are you awake?" The man with the pointed ears and long nose said. He was Igor. "The mystery has deepened…and the fog has grown much thicker…It has become too dangerous to continue driving…"

I was in the Velvet Room?

"Why…Why am I here?"

"It appears that your actions have caused much distress and has even cost the life of one we hoped you would form a bond with." The blonde woman, Margaret said. "We are quite disappointed in you. You achieved the power of the Wild Card DESPITE a lack of balance in your soul. Perhaps due to the necessity of wielding it in your journey."

"And yet, you squandered it, by punishing someone innocent. All because you had personal issues."

I had never seen Margaret look angry before. It was not a livid face, but I could tell she was unhappy with what I had done.

She could get in line.

"There is…however… a way…" She said, her face softening.

"What is it?" I ask.

"Whether you end your journey here, or retrace your steps some ways…"

"Retrace my steps?"

"We offer you the ability to return in time to a week before…and repeat events that unfolded, so that they may result differently," Margaret said.

"You mean…Time travel…?"

Margaret just nodded.

"But if I travel back in time…won't I have to relive every moment? I don't want that… I…don't want to hurt Charles again."

"You will be allowed to retain the knowledge of the experiences you have had…though due to a person moving backwards against the stream of time…you will not remember immediately," Margaret said.

"So I won't hurt Chuck… I won't be…that monster…?"

"You are far from a monster, Narukami Yu, but we cannot answer that question. Only you can."

"The time has come for a decision to be made," Igor said.

"I choose to go backwards in time, then. Charles deserves better."

"A final thing you must be made aware of… Because you are moving backward against the ocean of time, the resistance you will encounter will cause reverberations. Events may proceed differently. People not destined to be encountered may be encountered. The victims in this mystery may change. The difficulty in solving this mystery may increase. The list is endless…" Margaret said.

"I understand… But that's all secondary to my fulfillment of the contract…and my seeking redemption…"

"Good Journey, Narukami Yu."

Everything then turned white for me after Margaret said that.

**_May 24, 2011 (B)_**

"So here I am, telling you all this… Things did proceed again. I was much nicer to Charles…Yukiko was saved… and now…Minako's here…and I can't help but wonder if she was one of the individuals that Margaret mentioned who would get swept up into this."

"I just wished I had learned sooner that what I was doing was wrong…"

"So that Yukiko and Charles didn't suffer for my anger at my parents."

"Speaking of anger… I would understand and accept you being mad at me too. I made a mistake… And I'm sure you would be ashamed of me."

"Just like I am in myself."

Yu exhaled. He then started to walk back inside to wait for his best friend Charles to come home from escorting Yukiko and Chie to the bus stop.

"Domo Arigato for listening…"

"…Aunt Chisato."

The family shrine did not reply…

It did not need to.

But…there was warmth that had exuded from it.

Almost…as if she had been actually there, listening.

And forgiving her nephew…


	9. Chapter 45 Alternate Scene

**"Chapter 45 Alternate Scene"  
May 20, 2011  
Charles/Yukiko**

**A/N: You know when you're writing something, and you think it has the right amount of Drama, Angst, and the "Cool" factor, but then it turns out that while on its own it meets that but in the overall narrative...a MURDER has been committed. A murder of logic...well.**

**What I'm about to show you in this Chapter and the next, are two large chunks of story that stood well on their own merits...but totally ruined the overall story for one reason or another.**

**Here, Yukiko reacted poorly to her getting second. So poorly...that in this version...let's just say that even though they're still not officially boyfriend and girlfriend yet...**

**They had their first major couples' fight.**

**And as a formatting note, the original PUBLISHED dialogue will appear in brackets with Bold italicized font.**

**_[Yukiko came by and saw her scores and said "What?! Second?!"_**

**_"I know, huh? Aren't you as surprised as I am how high I got?" Charles wanted to hear her compliment him on how well he did… He wanted her to be impressed with him… he wasn't egotistical. He just wanted to get a compliment from her while he was actually being happy. Any second now she was bound to tell him how impressed she was…_**

**_"That is unbelievable!"_**

**_Any second…_**

**_"I find that impossible!"_**

**_Any… second…?_**

**_"There's no way Narukami could beat me!" She was incensed._**

**_Academic Jealousy much?_**

**_"Umm, having a great moment here?" Charles said._**

**_"Those must have been trick questions…or the teachers made a mistake!"_**

**_"Geez….sore loser much…?" Charles muttered so low Yukiko couldn't hear.]_**

"I would like a recount…!"

"Sorry, Bush was still elected in 2000." Charles was getting testy. He knew Yukiko prided herself on her scores. A little too much…but this was taking out the "little"

"I need to speak to the principal…"

"Yukiko, look what's wrong with getting second?"

"I have almost always gotten first… except for the final midterm of first year… that was a second rank… but there was a third-year better than I."

"Look…I think being second's fine and….hey, there's always next time…" He said with a smile.

"Oh….what do YOU know?!"

"Is this pressure from your parents? That I could understand…" The smile had faded a bit, but was still there.

"Leave my parents out of this!"

"Look, Yukiko, did you not see who you're tied for second with?"

"What do I care about some loser who tied with me…?"

They had been the only two in the hallway. Yu and Chie went back to 2-2. Kou and Daisuke went back to their classroom. Yosuke…well who knows where the hell Yosuke went to.

But the empty hallway echoed Yukiko's insult. Charles smile, heart, and ego fell to ground, the latter 2 shattered to pieces…

_She…She thinks…I'm a loser…?_

_"I... I thought you were different… I…thought you overlooked my flaws….forgave me for my past…. But I was wrong…. You're…. like EVERYBODY ELSE…YOU BITCH!"_

Yukiko was stunned. Then she turned angry… "HOW. DARE. YOU!"

And then she slapped him hard, so hard the crack could be felt throughout the hallway.

Not the crack of a bone…

But the crack of a soul…

Then Charles said… with what little voice he had left… through his angry tears…

"Leave…me… the FUCK… alone… Amagi-SAN!"

And then…not caring if he got detention, suspension, or expulsion. Just caring about wanting to get his ass as far and as fast away from Amagi Yukiko as possible…

He left the school.

"Bastard!" was all Yukiko said.

_To think I could love a wretch like THAT! I hope he gets expelled and his ass gets kicked back to his little "Toiletville, Utah."_

"That was out of character for you, Yukiko…"

There was Yosuke, standing there, watching… arms folded.

"Leave me alone, Hanamura, unless you want me to give you what I gave him!"

"Sounds tempting… but I think I'll pass. No, you see, I can understand Chuck being upset."

"Fine…then you comfort him for once… I'm tired of it."

"You don't really mean that…"

"I think I do…"

"Ok…then aren't you the least bit curious who that "loser" was that you shared second with…?"

"No. I don't know why he cared so much about it either…"

"Yukiko. I'm gonna let you in a little secret… you're as dense as he is…"

"I told you…I'm not in the mood."

Yosuke was just smiling his regular smile…

"So you don't even know WHY Chuck is upset…"

"He was trying to make me feel better and I wasn't in the mood and he overreacted, as usual…"

"Or maybe… well, you'll see and despite the smile on my face…I'm actually not enjoying this. I just figure it's easier then yelling at you about how much of an idiot you are and maybe second IS too much credit for you."

"Listen to me, Hanamura, I'll look at who shared it and then I'm going to have Chie shove those words up your… "

"…"

"I am a bitch…" she said, dismayed at what she'd done.

_Dojima Residence_

Charles was wrapped in his sleeping bag on the floor… crying…holding himself….shivering from emotional pain.

_S-she…l-lied to me…she t-told me we were f-f-friends…she said she c-cared for me…I t-thought… she l-l-loved me…_

His sobs grew louder. He felt no one in the world really cared about him…

…he felt like a hideous thing.

_She'll n-never f-forgive me n-now f-for what I s-said. I-I might as well jump i-into the S-Samegawa._

He didn't.

Rather, he fell asleep.

And he dreamed…

**_January 11, 2017_**

_Amagi Inn_

"So… what should we name them…?" Yukiko asked Charles.

"What…?"

"The twins…silly… what should we name them?"

They were in bed. Just cuddling. His hand was on her swollen belly.

"I was thinking for our son… Charles Ryotaro… and for our daughter… Sakura Anne…"

"You're not naming our son after your father… or our daughter after your mother…?"

"It's not that I don't still love them…but…Inaba is my home… and I wanted their names to reflect that."

"Where does 'Anne' come from then?"

"You try to find a middle name that fits with 'Sakura.'"

She chuckled and elbowed him in his ribcage.

"I'm so glad after so many tries…we finally got pregnant."

"Yes… I remember how awesome some of those times were…"

"CHARLES-CHAN!" She slapped his arm in mock indignation.

"Kidding! " He smiled. And then the look in his eyes changed…

"Yuki…even though it won't change anything…do you think we could…'try'?"

She gave him the same look, "…I thought you would never ask."

She then grabbed him by the neck and said… "I love you…"

"…I will always love you more…"

They were spending a long time together when…

"Big Bro Charles?!" Nanako said.

**_May 20, 2011_**

"Big Bro…" Nanako repeated.

"Wha-? How did I get on the couch? I was on the floor.

Charles opened the door, Nanako was there.

"Are you feeling better, big bro?"

"I'm… feeling …well…l how do I put it? I feel less bad."

"Isn't that feeling better?" she said with a challenging look in her eyes.

He chuckled, despite his pain. "I guess so, Nana-chan. What's wrong?"

"Dad says he needs to talk to you…he sounds mad."

"Then I guess I should just answer for my crime…"

Nanako looked confused.

"Never mind."

Charles walked downstairs. True to Nanako's word, Dojima was not happy.

"You skipped afternoon classes? You?!"

"I'm sorry, sir… I could explain extenuating circumstances…but I have a feeling, that while you may sympathize, you'll still ground me… so please just advise me of the number of months involved and no matter how much it hurts…I'll abide by your decision."

Dojima replied, "Oh no. You're not getting off that easy… You're going to apologize to Mr. Yamada and Mr. Hosoi…in person."

"Hai, Dojima-san!" Charles said with a respectful bow

"You will never skip class again!" He said sternly.

"Iie, sir!" Again a bow.

"And you're going to have to give Amagi a chance to explain herself.

"Hai…yeahbutwha?!"

Dojima was looking past Charles.

Behind Charles…at the breakfast table… was Yukiko.

She looked uncomfortable and also looked like her stocking feet looked like the most interesting thing in the room.

"H-Hello, Charles," she said, not looking up.

"K-Konichiwa," he said nervously. He would have preferred to go with the "what the hell is she doing here?" Cliché, but Nanako and Dojima were staring. Dojima trying not to smile.

Plus, even if she did come for round two, which he doubted, the fact she came by was HUGE to him.

"Nanako, how would you like to go to Junes?" Dojima asked.

"Can we? Can we go to Junes?!" Nanako said excitedly.

"A little moral support would be nice… "Charles said through his teeth to Dojima.

"Sorry…Go get 'er, Tiger!" Dojima muttered back. "Just make sure you use protection."

"We're not THAT far along. In fact, we're probably back at Square One." He again said through gritted teeth.

Dojima just chuckled and said. "I'm kidding. You and I WILL talk later though, but don't expect further punishment. I think apologizing to the senseis is enough given the circumstances."

"D-Domo."

Dojima and Nanako left.

Yukiko and Charles looked at each other for five minutes…

"How's your face?" She asked.

"Sore, how's your hand?" he replied

"Sore, how's your heart?"

"Broken, how's your…"

"Terrible…I'm sorry, Charles."

Then she started to cry.

"Oh, please don't do that, Yuki…"

He sat down next to her and held her hand. She put her head on his shoulder…

"You…You were right…I-I was a bitch. I was so upset that Yu-kun beat me…I didn't care about anything else and then I made a careless comment. I'm so-so-sorry!"

"Yukiko…look…I don't really have clean hands either. Because when I called you…a bitch…I wasn't really addressing you…"

"?"

"I was addressing another girl in Utah who rejected me for a date, called me a loser, and then said my brother was cooler than I was… then beat me up and took my lunch money."

"Snrk! Ha-ha-ha! No she didn't…" Yukiko laughed

"Okay, the last part was made up…but the rest wasn't. But I said the last part to cheer you up. You see, though, when you said that…it hurt me so much. I honestly thought…"

"That I betrayed you…" She said, downcast.

"Yes… You see, when I was rejected by Siobhan…that alone hurt, but I tried again… but then I asked 4 more girls who were progressively meaner. The last of those was that one."

"I…. didn't know you had gotten second with me."

"I hinted at it out loud…" He said, looking a little bothered.

"Charles-chan…" she sighed. "I think what happened was, I was still a little raw about what Yu-kun confessed to that I let my disappointment turn into outrage… I suppose I can't be mad at him anymore, because what I did was almost as bad as his mistake…"

"Almost, though, because nobody was killed." Charles was smirking, because smiling was too much.

He didn't speak… Neither did she...

They looked at each other…

Then their lips met…

Then Yukiko realized what was happening and grabbed his arms gently…

"We can't," she said. "We're not there yet… We agreed that we were going to take things slow."

"I know…I'm sorry." He looked down

"…Don't be…" she said, smiling

"So…do we have to start over with the handshake…?" He asked.

"No…We just need to not let …what happened at school…happen again,"

"Yukiko, it scares me when you act like that. It makes me worry that…"

"Look, Charles…I'm not that kind of person all the time… There are only three things that set me off. Don't call me a bitch. Don't bitch-slap me…"

"Don't ever hurt the ones I love…" She finished. "You'll get no mercy from me, if you do that…"

She paused.

"But I promise you…I will NEVER, EVER put you in a position where I've made you feel inferior or insignificant again. You're not a loser. You have had a bad lot in life, but you're not a loser. So…please forgive me."

"Always…But do you promise?"

"Pinky-swear!" she said. And then they both touched their pinky fingers to each other. Before moving them away from each other.

Yukiko put on her shoes and then left. She said she would be fine getting to the bus stop alone.

"Thank you, though, for not pushing me away on that kiss as you did the first one," He said.

"Look, it's not that I don't like you… but we're not ready yet to move to that stage in our relationship. There are still things that we don't know about each other…"

"I think I'm pretty knowledgeable of you by now," he said with a smirk.

"You…" She smirked. "Um…I still do want to hang out with you, though," She said.

"All right…I'll see you at school tomorrow…?"

"Yes…of course."

She then left.

As she walked out the door, she thought, _I don't deserve him…He's such a kind, sweet, forgiving boy… and I treat him like dirt… and he still loves me. He deserves a woman who will treat him right._

_…_

_I should go to the Shrine again and see if I had given the ema bad money the first time I wished to be a woman worthy of Charles-chan._

_…_

_I want to be worthy of him. He is…if that dream I had last night any indication…the father of my children._

_…_

_I think "Sakura Anne" is a nice name for a girl._


	10. Chapter 49 Alternate Scene

**"Chapter 49 Alternate Scene"  
May 24, 2011  
Yukiko/Charles/Yosuke**

**A/N: And here was their first, well, betrayal... I had hinted at it for Chapters...I originally had intended to NOT do the scene before deciding I would...But then...it lost all logic with me because then I've written myself into a corner that would not sustain itself, so it came out.**

**Oh and I'm sorry for the abrupt nature of the end...but after the "major event" of this scene, I really had nothing immediate to go there afterward, had it stayed in...so my apologies.**

_**["So we can go in now?" Chie put down the American Wirehair cat she had picked up after Charles hugged her. It had come over and rubbed its head against Chie's leg.**_

_**"Not a cat person?"**_

_**"Nothing against these guys. I just wanna get inside and ask Yukiko for her take."**_

_**"Mine not good enough for you?" He said with a bemused smirk. He unlocked and opened the door.**_

_**"I just want to see what she thinks."**_

_**"Well, she does give some good advice. Still, I can understand how you felt.]**_ It's not easy when you're bet-"

The word he was looking for was "betrayed."

But that word died in his throat.

Because his heart died from when he had walked into the living room and from what he saw.

Yu was downstairs.

And he was kissing Yukiko.

…and she was kissing him back.

They were holding each other on the other's shoulders. Yukiko's left leg was bent backward below the knee as romantics do when they're really enjoying a kiss.

And Yukiko looked like she was REALLY enjoying this kiss.

Charles tried to speak. But his face was so filled with horror, no sound was coming out.

Chie, however, had no difficulty. "HOLY SHIT!"

Yukiko and Yu broke apart immediately. Then they noticed Charles.

Charles wasn't saying anything. Tears were streaming down his cheeks and he was breathing hard.

But he wasn't saying anything.

"Charles-chan?!" Yukiko said.

"Heh! Finally remembered me… Heh! Heh! You see that, Chie. She remembered me!"

"Charles…" Yu started.

"And then there's Yu! It's nice to know, I'm just, heh-heh, outside and you two decide to suck face."

"It's not what you think…" Yukiko said.

""I think I saw two of my friends kiss. It's okay. I'm intruding. You two, carry on stabbing me in the back."

"Chuck…" Yu said. "I's MY fault, don't blame her."

"A tango takes two, Yu. Heh! Heh! That rhymed."

"Charles-chan…"

"DON'T YOU FRIKKIN DARE USE THAT HONORIFIC, AMAGI! DON'T YOU… DON'T… DAMMIT!"

Charles ran out the door.

"Chuck, Wait!"

_"STAY AWAY FROM ME, SATONAKA! EVERYBODY…JUST STAY AWAY!"_

Yukiko and Yu looked ashamed. Chie was just stunned and dismayed and confused.

Nobody said anything.

Until Nanako who had been there the whole time said, "Big Bro…what does shit mean?"

"It means…Yukiko and I had hurt your other Big Bro."

"But Big Bro doesn't know why…"

"All right, Narukami…Tell me in 10 words or less why I shouldn't kick the…snot out of you," Chie was clearly angry.

"Chie…" Yukiko said.

"Please Yukiko…. don't say anything right now. Despite what he's saying…you're just as guilty as Yu-kun."

Yukiko looked down.

"10 words or less," Returning her attention to Yu.

It took 9.

_Samegawa Flood Plain_

_"So here you are…" _Charles had heard a voice in English say.

He saw it was Yosuke when he turned around.

"Yosuke?"

"Mind if I sit?" Yosuke asked.

"Go ahead. Why the English before?"

"I heard what happened…You were so distraught, you spoke in English. I figured you weren't going to speak in Japanese."

"Well, I am right now."

"Why'd you come here?" Yosuke asked

"Why? I like the quiet here."

"But you can hear the water…"

"It's relative, Yosuke."

"You all right?"

"Yosuke…No…I'm not."

"Wanna talk about it?"

"I lost her to him… What more is there to say? It makes sense… He unburdens himself to her. She gets mad. He feels sad. She realizes she should cut him some slack…with MY help, I might add. He feels better. She realizes she was rash and feels bad she made him feel bad. They can't deny the attraction anymore…they end up smooching. I lost because I took too long. I was too afraid."

"Chuck…you haven't lost her."

"Hah! You think that. But how do you know. Besides Yu or Chie just drafted you to help with the search."

"Actually… it was Yukiko. She feels terrible, Chuck."

"She shouldn't… The better man won."

"DAMMIT, CHUCK! SHE LOVES YOU! YOU KNOW IT! I KNOW IT! CHIE KNOWS IT! THE DOJIMAS KNOW IT! YU KNOWS IT! SO WHY ARE YOU SO DOWN ON YOURSELF?!

"Because… All of you guys are better for her than I am. Hell, even Ted…she deserves TED more than she deserves me."

"So instead of fighting for the woman you love, you're just going to give up? You lazy coward."

Charles eyes flared in anger.

"…the hell did you say, Hanamura?"

"Oh, please! Getting mad at me is worthless because you'll give up on that too. You choose the path of least resistance because it's easier for you. Because you think it'll make you a better friend. I've got news for you…it just makes you a bitch!"

"HOW. DARE. YOU!" Charles was livid. More livid than he was with Naoto, More livid than he was with Yu after Yu's confession. More livid than he was an hour ago at the Dojima residence.

"Let's face it, Chuck. You just cave in to anybody. If what you say is true and Yukiko has gotten impatient waiting for you…then it's no surprise because why would she waste time with a weakling like you."

"Back off, Yosuke."

Yosuke sneered. "You don't have the balls to do anything. Let's face it. You used up your intestinal fortitude for Chie against her Shadow. After that. You wimp out at the first opportunity."

"Keep talking…we'll see who wimps out."

"I'm sure you will, because you always use your 'disability' as an excuse to not fight."

"Have you not seen me in Mayonaka?!"

"You've got talent against Shadows, true. But against a person…You might as well give up.

"You're really asking for it…"

"See, a real man would have hit me a long time ago. You're not a man… Yukiko would never love someone like you. She's not into GIRLS!" Yosuke said mockingly.

"DAMN YOU!"

Then Charles punched Yosuke in the mouth.

"That the best you got? You didn't even split my lip!"

"I was holding back."

"Yeah, tell yourself that, maybe it'll keep you warm at night, because now Yukiko never will."

"Bastard!" Charles punched Yosuke in the stomach and then in the face.

"You punch like a girl, too."

"Yeah? Well at least I'm not dating one to cover up?" Charles smiled wolfishly

Which didn't last as Yosuke punched Charles in the face.

"Low blow, Chuck." Yosuke didn't look like he was playing anymore.

"That's one compared to your…what…lost count after four. You've got no room to complain"

"See, you're just doing the same shit you did in Toiletville, Utah. I guess YOU'RE the real Charles."

"Yosuke, please stop, I don't WANT to hurt you." Charles looked anguished.

"Big talk. Too bad you can't back it uhf-!" Charles punched Yosuke again. Hard.

"Doesn't mean I won't… Hana-chan!"

Yosuke punched Charles in the face.

Charles returned the punch.

Yosuke tried to move for Charles's gut, but Charles parried and punched Yosuke in his stomach.

"Stop now, and apologize Yosuke… You don't know me or how I feel!"

"How can I not? You broadcast more than Eye News."

"You DON'T KNOW what it's like for me. Feeling inferior!" He punched Yosuke in the gut.

"Insignificant!" Yosuke was punched in the chin.

"A FUCKING WORTHLESS LOSER!" Charles punched Yosuke in the mouth. Yosuke fell backwards.

"Charles! Stop! Please!"

Charles fell to his knees and cried,

"You don't know…what it's like… to be me." Charles was sobbing loudly.

Yosuke's nose was bleeding from where Charles had earlier punched it and had a swollen upper lip, but otherwise didn't look bad.

Charles, on the other hand had a cracked glasses lens, a split lip and bleeding from his mouth. There were a couple of bruises on his face.

"Feel better?"

Charles was surprised at the question. "You…you did this on purpose?!"

"Yeah, Chuck. You looked like you needed something to hit. I decided to volunteer myself."

"Yosuke…you shouldn't have done that. That was…"

"Stupid…? You may think so. But holding it in is definitely stupid, because it does more damage long-term."

"Yosuke…why?"

"You're my friend, and sometimes being a good friend is to have the person who is hurting to let it out. Even if it's on them."

"Yosuke…"

…

"… Domo Arigato."

"You're welcome."

"Charles-chan!" Charles had Yukiko say. She was running towards him.

Charles bristled for a second…but then he decided to let out a breath.

"By the way… We'll keep telling you until you get it through your dense head. You're not insignificant, inferior, or a loser. Will you PLEASE listen one of these days?"

"Maybe you're right, but…"

"No buts."

"Charles-chan. Your face…" Yukiko said when she reached him.

"I'll live."

"Why?"

"Yosuke saw I needed to let off some steam. So he decided I would let it off on him."

"Charles-chan. I'm…so sorry."

"Yukiko, what happened?"

"Yu-kun and I were talking. He told me about Minato being alive and the rest of what happened with Minako. Then he started feeling awful. And then I gave him the same kiss I gave you…"

"And things occurred from there…on this time…you didn't push him off."

"I didn't want to hurt you. I'm…"

"Please…don't say it anymore. I just don't want to hear it."

She started crying…

"Because I'M SORRY….I overreacted and didn't give you a chance."

"!" she said.

"Well, it looks like my work here is done," Yosuke said, starting to leave.

"Yosuke…" Charles said.

"Chuck… don't. Please don't…I know."

Charles nodded.


	11. Chapter 58 Alternate Scene

**A/N: This originally wasn't an Alternate Scene, but now has become one... Basically I wanted to kind of move the romance forward/yet backward with what follows...**

**Instead I think I stopped the story dead with this ending...**

**But I didn't have the heart to completely drop it as I had received out of 3 1 positive review and that made me think there WERE others who liked this ending, but never said. So, for those of you who liked the scene... This Bud's for you.**

"Yukiko, I didn't fall asleep, did I?"

"You did…but that's okay…nobody showed up."

"It's AFTER midnight?!"

"You looked so peaceful… I decided to wake you only if I saw somebody…"

"You sound odd, Yuki-chan."

"That's because… I can't fight it anymore… I love you!"

"…"

"I love you, too."

"Then why fight it anymore? I haven't been completely honest with you… Every time I see you… I want you… I want you so badly that it takes every ounce of my will…to not ask you to touch me…"

"But, Yuki-chan… It wouldn't be…"

"…Right? Charles-chan…it would be the rightest thing in the world…"

Then she kissed him…

Slowly… Sensually…

He was kissing her back and holding her by the arms. Not forcefully, but lovingly.

Things started to move quickly… such as their hearts as they looked at each other.

Charles then slowly and carefully unbuttoned her cardigan. She had responded by untying his tie and unbuttoning his shirt…

They continued to strip each other…until they were both nude…

And hungry for each other's touch.

They kissed again. This time hugging each other as they did so, before slowly caressing each other's necks and backs and hair.

They then sat on her futon kissing and caressing some more. Then Yukiko lay backwards on it and he was on top of her…just kissing and caressing some more…

He couldn't believe it…it was happening. It was actually happening.

He would finally have the opportunity to show her how much he loved her.

"I'm ready, Charles-chan."

He made the subtle shift that physically connected them…

And once connected….

He had lost sense of everything…

BUT HER.

She was all he could sense… All he WANTED to sense…

He forgot about the world…and talking bear-things and personas, and murders, and midnight channels and their friends.

Because he was with HER.

SHE was all that mattered in that moment…

He couldn't believe he had the confidence to say it… but he had felt her love…and wanted to return it with his.

The only words uttered in her room were whispers of sweet nothings and gasps in between kisses when they came up for air.

He didn't care if Minako or Chie, or Yukiko's parents or Yu or Teddie or Dojima walked in right now and saw what the two of them were doing… Let 'em watch. Then EVERYBODY will know the purest and simple truth.

CHARLES THOMAS WALDO AND AMAGI YUKIKO LOVED EACH OTHER.

END OF STORY.

…

They had spent a very long time together…

When they had finished…

Yukiko smiled and said,

"Charles-chan, it's almost midnight, wake up."

"Huh?"

"Chuck?"

"What?" Charles opened his eyes.

"You fell asleep, silly." She was smiling at him.

He looked at his watch, it was 23:57

"Sorry, more tired than I thought," He smiled weakly.

"Don't worry about it."

Charles was internally crestfallen…he had thought…

He should have known it was another lousy dream. Worse, it appeared that one of his vision dreams had come true… AS A FRIKKIN' DREAM!

Sometimes he wondered if he was ever MEANT to be happy with Yukiko.

It had become Midnight…

No one showed up on it.

They waited a few minutes.

"Guess Kanji was the only victim," Charles said with a shrug.

"Well, I'm glad…but one day, we're going to have to find out where our TVs lead to.

"I agree…"

"Well, I guess I'm going to bed… I'll see you in the morning…"

"Good night," Yukiko said

"Umm Yuki… I didn't happen to say anything in my sleep, did I?"

"Such as?" She looked amused.

"Umm, never mind… It's too embarrassing to repeat and it involved Nanako and Yu being luchadores and me comforting a crying Yosuke."

"That WOULD be embarrassing. No, you didn't say anything in your sleep…"

"Domo, Good night."

He went across the hall to his room and closed his door.

As she closed her door she whispered, "…other than you muttering how much you and I loved each other… end of story."

She still was disappointed that while he seemed more confident lately…he still wasn't confident enough for those three words.

And she wanted him to be confident enough to say "I love you,"

...

Because she DESPERATELY wanted to say it back.


End file.
